Richard Charles Nicholas Branson
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Film credits
5
Books
7
Awards
Richard Branson signed Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells as the first artist on his Virgin Records label in 1973. The album became a multi-million seller after its use in The Exorcist. Branson later founded Virgin Atlantic Airways after a cancelled flight, and was knighted in 2000. He has made cameo appearances in TV shows like Friends and The Simpsons.
Names, aliases, and relatives of Richard Branson — birth name, kin, and personal ties.
Richard Branson by the numbers — life, work, and family.
Richard Branson — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.
On 18 July 1950, Richard Branson arrived in Blackheath, London, to parents Eve and Edward James Branson. He attended Scaitcliffe Preparatory School in Sussex and later Stowe School before dropping out at age 15. His first entrepreneurial venture was a used record store called Virgin Records, named because it was his first business.
Branson’s breakthrough came when he signed school friend Mike Oldfield to his Virgin Records label. Oldfield’s Tubular Bells became a multi-million seller after being used as the theme for the 1973 film The Exorcist. In 1984, after a flight cancellation, he chartered a plane and founded Virgin Atlantic Airways, writing a hand-lettered sign reading Virgin Atlantic Airways – Flight 1. He launched Virgin Galactic with spacecraft named VSS Enterprise and VSS Voyager, and made cameo appearances in a 1998 episode of Friends and The Simpsons.
Branson married Kristen Tomassi in 1972; their honeymoon boat sank off Mexico, and the couple swam to shore. They divorced in 1979. He then married Joan Templeman in 1989, with whom he has children Holly, born in 1982, and Sam, born in 1985. His daughter Clare Sarah died four days after birth in 1979. He has a sister Vanessa Branson, and is uncle-in-law to Academy Award winner Kate Winslet.
Branson built the Virgin Group into more than 200 companies spanning airlines, trains, music, and space travel. He co-founded The Elders human rights group with Nelson Mandela and Peter Gabriel. Awarded Knight Bachelor in 2000 and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018, he is remembered for founding Virgin Records, pioneering commercial space flight with Virgin Galactic, and his philanthropic efforts.
The complete filmography of Richard Branson — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.
Every award, honor, and recognition received by Richard Branson — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.
Richard Branson's bibliography — every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.
A wall of memorable lines from Richard Branson — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.
For a Successful Entrepreneur It Can Mean Extreme Wealth. but with Extreme Wealth Comes Extreme Responsibility. and the Responsibility for Me Is to Invest in Creating New Businesses, Create Jobs, Employ People, and to Put Money Aside to Tackle Issues Where We Can Make a Difference.
A Generation Ago, the Image Was That You Had to Trample Everyone Else Down to Succeed – but I Don’t Believe That Makes Good Business Sense. If You’re the Kind of Person That Jumps Down the Throat of People, You’re Not Going to Be Successful.
The Funny Thing Is People Won’t Let Me Pay for Things. I’ll Be in a Restaurant and the Manager Will Say: Oh No, It’s on the House.
I’m a Bit Like the Queen in That I Don’t Carry Much Cash.
If You’re Embarking Around the World in a Hot-air Balloon, Don’t Forget the Toilet Paper.
To Me, Business Isn’t About Wearing Suits or Pleasing Stockholders. It’s About Being True to Yourself, Your Ideas and Focusing on the Essentials.
I’m a Lad of the ’60S. I Started a Magazine to Try and End the Vietnam War, but It Was a Number of Years Before I Had the Profile, the Financial Resources and the Time to Do More.
We’re One of the Only Animals in the World That Don’t Really Think of Ourselves as Animals, but We Are Animals and We Must Respect Our Fellow Animals.
The Majestic and Powerful Polar Bear Is an Iconic Symbol of Canada Around the World. with Their Habitat Increasingly Threatened and Their Very Survival in Jeopardy, Now Is the Time for Action. We Owe It to the Next Generation to Ensure That These Magnificent Animals Will Live On.
Don’t Forget: Never Accept the Unacceptable. Now We Just Need to Get on with It and Make It Happen – Quickly. Can You Imagine What a Different World We Will Live in When Businesses Do What’s Right for the Communities and the Environment in Everything They Do?
For a While Now, Space Has Been Looking Boring. News About Space Was Reduced to Budget Cuts and Deorbiting Schedules, Not Research and Innovation. Then, the Private Sector Began Designing Spaceships to Send Payloads and People into Orbit and Beyond. Today, Teams Like Elon Musk’s SpaceX Are Reopening Space for Exploration. It’s a Paradox That Elon Is Working to Improve Our Planet at the Same Time He’s Building Spaceships to Help Us Leave It. but True Vision Is Binocular, and Elon Musk Is Clearly a Man Who Can See Many Things at Once.
Little-known facts about Richard Branson — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.
He made a cameo in the 1998 Friends episode The One with Ross’s Wedding, selling British souvenirs to Joey and Chandler; he was reportedly nervous about forgetting his lines.
His first signed artist was school friend Mike Oldfield, whose Tubular Bells became a multi-million seller after use in the 1973 film The Exorcist.
He dropped out of school at age 15 to start his first business.
His first business was a used record store named Virgin Records, because it was his first business venture.
He registered the business name Virgin Interplanetary in anticipation of commercial space travel.
Co-founded The Elders human rights group with Nelson Mandela and Peter Gabriel.
Keeps a hammock in his office for brainstorming.
A fan of the Star Trek franchise, he named Virgin Galactic’s spacecraft VSS Enterprise and VSS Voyager.
Has expressed interest in opening a casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
His Caribbean retreat, Necker Island, was purchased in the late 1970s for about $200,000 and includes a yacht and submarine.
Opened a chain of bridal shops in England named Virgin Bride.
Ranked #40 on The Sunday Times Rich List in 2020 with earnings of £3.625 billion from transport, finance, and fitness.
Awarded Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire in the 2000 Queen’s Millennium New Years Honours List.
For the Only Fools and Horses episode featuring Virgin Atlantic, he wanted a cameo but David Jason noted he was a charming publicist, not a great actor.
Awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording on October 16, 2018, at 6764 Hollywood Boulevard.
Owner of The Virgin Group, with over 200 companies in entertainment, media, and travel.
Father of son Sam, born in 1985, daughters Holly, born in 1982, and Clare Sarah, who died at four days old in 1979.
Fan of Thunderbirds; named Virgin Trains rescue locomotives after Thunderbirds craft and gave Sylvia Anderson complementary mileage after a delay.
Started Virgin Atlantic Airways after a flight was cancelled; he chartered a jet and offered free rides to stranded passengers, posting a sign reading Virgin Atlantic Airways – Flight 1.
Daughter Holly studied at University College London to become a pediatrician.
First car owned was a 1968 British Morris Mini-Minor.
Founded Caroline Records in 1973.
Uncle-in-law of Academy Award winner Kate Winslet.
Three children: Clare Sarah, who died at four days, Holly, and Sam.
Brother to Lindi and Vanessa Branson.
First autobiography titled Losing My Virginity; second titled Finding My Virginity.
On his honeymoon in 1972 with Kristen Tomassi, their boat sank off Mexico; he and his wife swam to shore, but other passengers died.
Attended Scaitcliffe Preparatory School in Sussex, Cliff View House, and Stowe School.
The first spacecraft of Virgin Galactic was named VSS Enterprise, a reference to Star Trek.
He was nervous about his acting cameo in Friends but performed well.
Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Richard Branson.
Celebrities similar to Richard Branson — same craft, ranked by reach.
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