David Bowie vs Duke Ellington
Two child prodigies, compared on what is actually documented: field, era, country and record. No invented numbers.
The record, side by side
| David Bowie | Duke Ellington | |
| Field | Film | Music |
| Sub-field | Actor | Composer |
| Born | 1947 | 1899 |
| Died | 2016 | 1974 |
| Country of birth | United Kingdom | United States |
| Star sign | Capricorn | Taurus |
Who they are
David Bowie
On June 6, 1972, a twenty-four-year-old Brixton-born musician named David Robert Jones — performing under the name David Bowie, inhabiting a character he had named Ziggy Stardust — appeared on the BBC television programme Top of the Pops to perform "Starman," draped his arm around his guitarist Mick Ronson's shoulders in a gesture that was, for British television in 1972, practically avant-garde, and stared directly into the camera. The performance reached approximately fifteen million viewers. Within a week, the Ziggy Stardust album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars was…
Full biography of David Bowie →
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy Ellington was born on April 29, 1899, in Washington, D.C., into a middle-class family that prized dignity and elegance. His mother, Daisy Kennedy Ellington, was a pianist who gave him his first music lessons. His stylish bearing in youth earned him the nickname "Duke" from a friend who felt the young Edward carried himself with the air of aristocracy — a name that would prove prophetic. He began serious piano study at age seven, fell away from it during adolescence, then returned with furious dedication in his teens, playing in local Washington venues…
Full biography of Duke Ellington →
What they share
- Their lifetimes overlap.
Where they part
- Different fields: Film for David Bowie, Music for Duke Ellington.
- Born in different countries: United Kingdom and United States.
- 48 years separate their births (1947 and 1899).
Questions people ask
- Who came first, David Bowie or Duke Ellington?
- Duke Ellington. David Bowie was born in 1947, Duke Ellington in 1899.
- What field is each of them in?
- David Bowie is filed under Film (Actor). Duke Ellington is filed under Music (Composer).
- Were they contemporaries?
- Yes - their lifetimes overlap.