Famous Left-Handers: Making History with the Left Hand

Musicians

Some of the most renowned musicians are or were left-handed:

• Paul McCartney – The Beatles bassist plays his instruments left-handed.
• Jimi Hendrix – Famous for his left-handed guitar playing.
• Phil Collins – Played his drum setup as a left-hander.

Actors

There are many prominent left-handers in the film industry:

• Julia Roberts – Academy Award-winning actress and left-hander.
• Tom Cruise – Well-known actor with left-hand dominance.
• Angelina Jolie – Actress and director who writes with her left hand.

Scientists

Famous left-handers are also found in science:

• Leonardo da Vinci – Painter, sculptor, and scientist known for his mirror writing.
• Marie Curie – Nobel laureate in Physics and Chemistry.
• Isaac Newton – Physicist and mathematician believed to be left-handed.

Politicians

Several U.S. presidents were left-handed:

• James A. Garfield – 20th president, known for his ambidexterity.
• Herbert Hoover – 31st president, wrote with his left hand.
• Harry S. Truman – 33rd president, used his left hand for many tasks.
• Gerald Ford – 38th president, was left-handed.
• Ronald Reagan – 40th president, originally left-handed but retrained.
• George H. W. Bush – 41st president, was left-handed.
• Bill Clinton – 42nd president, wrote with his left hand.
• Barack Obama – 44th president, known left-hander.

Athletes

Left-handers have also made their mark in sports:

• Rafael Nadal – Tennis player who plays left-handed.
• Martina Navratilova – Former tennis player and left-hander.
• Monica Seles – Tennis player known for her left-handed play.

Why are many Muppets left-handed?

Many Muppet characters, like Kermit the Frog, appear left-handed. This is because most puppeteers are right-handed and thus more actively move the puppet's left hand. The right hand is often controlled by a second puppeteer or remains less active.

Common Misconceptions

Some individuals are mistakenly labeled as left-handers:

• Adolf Hitler – Despite claims, there is no evidence he was left-handed.
• Joseph Goebbels – No reliable indications of left-handedness.
• Heinrich Himmler – No known evidence of left-handedness.
• Agnes Dürer – Wife of Albrecht Dürer; no indications of left-handedness.