Ten ultra-successful people who would never have made a Forbes 30 Under 30 list

SO YOU'RE not on any of the Forbes 30 Under 30 lists. It's OK! These famous people wouldn't have made the cut either, and they turned out just fine.

There is nothing we don't like about the hair on thi...

FORBES released its annual 30 Under 30 lists this week, honouring the young whippersnappers who are tasting outrageous success early in their lives.

Being named on one of these lists is kind of a big deal, you know. It means you're somebody.

But the truth is, history is littered with wildly successful people who would never have made a 30 Under 30 list.

Nick Rizzo has put together a nice list of 30 famous "late bloomers" over at Death and Taxes. Here are his ten best picks.

1. LEONARDO DA VINCI

Apparently Leonardo was acquitted of sodomy at the age of 24. We didn't know that. He went on to become an intellectual and artistic giant, but none of his great works were complete when he moved to Milan at 30.

That's quite a beard.

2. DWIGHT EISENHOWER

Eisenhower was a five-star general who served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe during WWII. He then went on to become a two term US President. Not bad, but he was only a Major in the army at the age of 30.

Ike's middle name was Delaware, you know.

3. GEORGE CLOONEY

The heart-throb actor, who was born in 1961, had made it onto television by the time he turned 30, but his only decent role was as a guest star. ER didn't start until 1994.

George has aged well.

4. COLONEL SANDERS

The famous face behind Kentucky Fried Chicken had "a variety of jobs" before he opened a roadside stand at the age of 40.

Huh. And we thought he only ate fried chicken.

5. GEORGE ORWELL

Nineteen Eighty-Four was published when Orwell was in his forties. More than a decade earlier, the British writer was actually working as a high school teacher.

That's a piercing gaze if ever we saw one.

6. ALAN RICKMAN

Snape, Snape, Severus Snape. Rickman has been in a bunch of high profile films, but he didn't even play a significant TV role until the age of 36.

Snape's older than you think.

7. VINCENT VAN GOGH

He's now thought to be one of history's great artists, but van Gogh is far more famous in death than he ever was in life. All of his acclaimed works were created after he turned 30, Rizzo says.

Van Gogh died without being recognised.

8. MARK TWAIN

The famous author didn't get any attention until The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County was published just before he turned 30. It wasn't his best work either.

There is nothing we don't like about the hair on this man's face.

9. CESAR CHAVEZ

Before he became the best known civil rights activist for Latinos in the US, Cesar Chavez was "just another community organiser". He rose to prominence in his mid-30s.

We have some kind of facial hair thing going today. Check out the guy in the background.

10. EMILY DICKINSON

The great female poet only became famous after she died, but even during her lifetime, she'd only published one poem before the age of 30.

Poets all seem to bloom late.

Read the full list of 30 famous names at Death and Taxes.

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