Luminaries can be known by other names, such as celebrities, notables, and stars. In a day of social media, influencers might be included in this group. For various reasons, they might also be known as very important persons, more commonly abbreviated as VIPs.

This is a difficult category to maintain because there is no definitive point specifying when a person becomes a luminary or when they cease to be a luminary. Stars may fade, and they eventually die. People who are celebrities in the eyes of one generation may be unknown to the next. Even within our own lifetimes, there have been people who were very well known at one time but whose names we have since forgotten.

When an illuminary dies, does he or she cease to be a luminary? Sometimes, but not necessarily. The 1940s brought us Laurence Olivier, Charlie Chaplin, Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, Henry Fonda, Errol Flynn, W.C. Fields, Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Hedy Lamarr, Bob Hope, Mae West, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour Orson Welles, Agnese Moorehead, Barbara Stanwyck, Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Betty Grable, Rita Hayworth, James Cagney, Joan Crawford, Ingrid Bergman, Jack Benny, Alan Ladd, Susan Hayward, Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Vincent Price, Shirley Temple, Frank Sinatra, Donna Reed, Loretta Young, Lucille Ball, Robert Mitchum, Kirk Douglas, Boris Karloff, John Wayne, Bela Lugosi, Burt Lancaster, and many others. Although I wasn't born until 1951, and we didn't have a television set until the mid-1960s, all of these people are well-known to me, despite the fact that some of them were dead before I was born. Perhaps not all, but many of these names are familiar to people who were born fifty years after I was.

Some people remain luminaries long after they die, while others are soon forgotten.

Stars of television and movies are common luminaries, but luminaries can also be singers, musicians, composers, authors, and other significant people.

There is also the uncertainty of defining what it takes for someone to become a luminary. Are all notable people luminaries? Both words are often used to describe well-known and respected people in their fields, but are they truly interchangeable? A notable musician might be someone who has produced a song that made it to the top ten. Yet, there are one-hit wonders whose names are not memorable. Have you heard of Mark Dinning? Probably not, but his song, "Teen Angel," reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 single chart in February 1960.

Perhaps a luminary could be defined as someone who has not only achieved great success in their field but whose career has also influenced and inspired others.

In that sense, luminaries might be considered icons. Luminaries leave a lasting impact. Their contributions to society, art, or science shape our collective memory and influence future generations.

Whether they are Hollywood celebrities, influential entrepreneurs, or trailblazing artists, luminaries hold a special place in the hearts of regular people. Why is that?

Luminaries might inspire us to dream bigger, work harder, and overcome obstacles. Their stories remind us that success is attainable even if we never reach it ourselves.

Regular people might look up to luminaries as role models. Although this is often misguided, their achievements can serve as benchmarks, motivating us to set ambitious goals and strive for excellence.

Luminaries in the entertainment fields come into our homes and lives through their performances, music, art, or public appearances, offering us an escape from everyday life. In a sense, we feel like we know them, even if it's through the medium of television, interviews, or social media.

Unlike regular people, luminaries are widely recognized, and their names resonate across borders and through time, inspiring admiration and curiosity.

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