The late entertainer David Bowie was voted greatest entertainer of the 20th century in a poll from BBC Two’s Icons.
Bowie beat out Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, and Billie Holiday for the win. The public cast votes via the Icons show website. After Icons aired a show on the aforementioned entertainers, viewers had until 4 p.m. the next day to cast their votes.
David Bowie has been voted the most iconic entertainer of the 20th Century by the public, as part of @BBCTwo's #Icons. ????https://t.co/qj1al6Lx0L pic.twitter.com/BHs7GEI8yJ
— BBC (@BBC) January 16, 2019
BBC announced Bowie as the winner in the Entertainers category, via social media.
“David Bowie has been voted the most iconic entertainer of the 20th Century by the public, as part of @BBCTwo’s #Icons.”
In the post’s image, BBC praised the singer: “David Bowie’s cutting-edge music gave the world the sound of the future, today.”
In 1969, he reached No. 1 on UK charts with song “Space Oddity.” The release of “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars” album the next year brought Bowie international fame, according to The Guardian.
You all know David Bowie was voted winner of the Entertainment category of BBC TWO’s ICONS poll. Many thanks to everybody who voted for our man, it’s really very much appreciated. Find all you need to know about the poll and how to vote in the final, here: https://t.co/3slKnNvjCN pic.twitter.com/s65srDJ3No
— David Bowie Official (@DavidBowieReal) January 17, 2019
Bowie also acted in films “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” “Labyrinth,” “The Last Temptation of Christ,” and “Absolute Beginners,” The Guardian reported. He also made an appearance in the 2001 Ben Stiller comedy film “Zoolander.”
Bowie was also a music tech innovator. His 1999 album “Hours” was the first by a major artist to be available via download. He also briefly ran internet service provider BowieNet, according to the Icons website.
David Bowie in 1999 about the impact of the Internet on society pic.twitter.com/aPcG9CO9MS
— Bret Taylor (@btaylor) January 15, 2019
Bowie died on January 10, 2016, at the age of 69. On Jan. 8, just two days earlier, he celebrated his birthday and the release of his 25th album, “Blackstar.” Bowie died from an 18-month battle with cancer, The Guardian reported.
David Bowie left behind supermodel wife Iman, now 63 years old, their daughter Alexandria Zahra Jones, 18, and Bowie’s 47-year-old son, Duncan Jones, whose mother is Bowie’s ex-wife, actress Angela Barnett.
According to The Guardian, Bowie did not know he would likely die until three months before his actual death. He only found out that his illness was terminal while filming the video for his last single, “Lazarus.” This is in contrast to some views that claim “Lazarus” was illustrative of Bowie’s impending death. The information was revealed via a documentary on Bowie’s life, titled “David Bowie: The Last Five Years.”
Bowie was born in Brixton, south London, in 1947. He learned of rock music as a child via his older brother’s record collection. After he released three singles and then a debut album, he retreated to a Buddhist monastery in Scotland due to the lack of success with his music.
“I am not a natural performer,” Bowie said in a 2002 interview, obtained by The Guardian. “I don’t enjoy performing terribly much. Never have. I can do it and, if my mind’s on the situation, do it quite well. But, five or six shows in, I’m dying to get off the road and go back to the studio.”
The Icons show included six other categories where people can vote for the “greatest person of the 20th century,” including Activists, Sports, Artists & Writers, Leaders, Explorers, and Scientists. The other nominees include people like disability activist Helen Keller, soccer legend Pele, author Virginia Woolf, UK prime minister Winston Churchill, etc.
After all the category winners are chosen, viewers will then be able to vote for the greatest icon of them all during a live broadcast on Feb. 5.
