All articles starting with B
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Bill Oddie
Bill Oddie (William Edgar Oddie, 1941–2026), English comedian of The Goodies and Britain's best-known birdwatcher, original presenter of BBC Springwatch, OBE 2003, author of Bill Oddie's Little Black Bird Book.
Bill Odenkirk
Bill Odenkirk (William Leonard Odenkirk), American comedy writer and producer, younger brother of Bob Odenkirk. PhD in inorganic chemistry, University of Chicago; wrote for Mr. Show, Tenacious D, Futurama, Disenchantment, and The Simpsons; 4 Emmy wins.
Bill of attainder
A bill of attainder, or act of attainder, is a law that convicts and punishes a person or group without trial; the US Constitution bans Congress and states from passing one.
Bill of lading
Bill of lading (B/L), the core maritime carriage document: goods receipt, evidence of the contract of carriage, and document of title. Covers straight, order, charterparty, and electronic (eBL) forms under the Hamburg Rules, MLETR, and trade finance use.
Bill of materials
A bill of materials (BOM) is a structured list of the components, raw materials, and subassemblies required to produce a product, forming the basis for calculating its cost.
Bill of quantities
A bill of quantities is a construction contract document listing items of work with detailed descriptions and firm quantities, so all tenderers price the same measured work.
Bill of rights
Bill of rights: a formal charter of individual rights against state power, from the English Bill of Rights 1689 and the US Bill of Rights (first ten amendments, 1791) to modern statutory charters like Canada's Charter and the UK Human Rights Act.
Bill of Rights 1689
Bill of Rights 1689 (also Bill of Rights 1688), 1 Will. & Mar. Sess. 2 c. 2: English statute from the Glorious Revolution limiting the Crown, confirming parliamentary rights, and settling succession under William III and Mary II.
Bill Orcutt
Bill Orcutt (born 1962, Miami) is an American experimental guitarist, co-founder of noise rock band Harry Pussy with Adris Hoyos, later a solo acoustic blues-improvisation artist, Palilalia Records founder, Cracked software author, and Bill Orcutt Guitar Quartet leader.
Bill Owen (actor)
Bill Owen (William John Owen Rowbotham, 1914-1999), English actor, played Compo Simmonite in BBC's Last of the Summer Wine from 1973 until his death; also a Royal Court stage actor, film character player, and songwriter.
Bill Palmer (restaurateur)
Bill Palmer is an American restaurateur who founded Applebee's with his wife T.J. in Decatur, Georgia, in 1980, sold the concept in 1983, and built a 40-restaurant Atlanta franchise network.
Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells (Duane Charles Parcells, "Tuna"), born 1941, NFL head coach with Giants, Patriots, Jets, Cowboys; 183-138-1, two Super Bowls (XXI, XXV), Hall of Fame 2013, Patriots Hall of Fame 2025.
Bill Partington
Bill Partington is an American politician and Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives from District 28, elected in 2024 and previously Mayor of Ormond Beach.
Bill Paterson (actor)
Bill Paterson (William Tulloch Paterson), Scottish actor born in Glasgow in 1945; founding member of 7:84 Theatre Company in The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil; films include Comfort and Joy, The Killing Fields, The Witches; TV includes Outlander, Fleabag, The Repair Shop narrator; BAFTA Scotland Outstanding Contribution 2015.
Bill Paxton
Bill Paxton (1955-2017) was a Fort Worth-born American actor and director known for Aliens, Weird Science, Apollo 13, Twister, Titanic, HBO's Big Love, and directing Frailty; also fronted the band Martini Ranch.
Bill Peacock
Bill Peacock (William Peacock, 1891-1948), Paisley SC water polo player; Olympic gold with Great Britain at Antwerp 1920, 3-2 final win over Belgium; reserve 1912 and 1924; five Scottish titles 1910-14. Not the sprinters Eulace or Jonnie Peacock.
Bill Peck
Bill Peck is an American mechanical engineer and nanofluidics specialist who co-founded Twist Bioscience in 2013, adapting semiconductor manufacturing to cheap DNA synthesis on silicon chips.
Bill Perkins (businessman)
Bill Perkins, also known as William O. Perkins III, is an American energy trader who founded Houston hedge fund Skylar Capital and wrote the 2020 book Die with Zero.
Bill Pertwee
Bill Pertwee (William Desmond Anthony Pertwee, 1926-2013), English comedy actor and MBE, played Chief ARP Warden Hodges in Dad's Army on TV, radio, film, and stage, and was a regular on Beyond Our Ken and Round the Horne.
Bill Pickering
Bill Pickering was a New Zealand-born American engineer who directed the Jet Propulsion Laboratory from 1954 to 1976, overseeing Explorer 1 and early planetary missions.
Bill Pickett
Bill Pickett (1870-1932), Texas-born African American cowboy who invented bulldogging, or steer wrestling, by biting a steer's lip; starred with the 101 Ranch Wild West Show and entered the Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1971-72.
Bill Plympton
Bill Plympton (born 1946), American independent animator and cartoonist from Oregon, twice Oscar-nominated for Your Face and Guard Dog; known for hand-drawing every frame of adult animated features himself.
Bill Podlich
Bill Podlich is an American finance executive who helped organize PIMCO in Newport Beach, California in 1971 and ran its business side as chief executive until 1994.
Bill Polian
Bill Polian (born 1942, Bronx, NY), Hall of Fame NFL executive; GM of Bills, Panthers, Colts; six-time Executive of the Year; built five Super Bowl teams, won XLI with 2006 Colts.
Bill Porter
Bill Porter (William Franklin Porter, 1926-2000), American hurdler, 1948 London Olympic 110m hurdles champion in an Olympic record 13.9, leading a US sweep; Northwestern graduate, later hospital supply executive.
Bill Potts (Doctor Who)
Bill Potts is a Doctor Who companion played by Pearl Mackie, the Twelfth Doctor's Series 10 (2017) companion and the show's first openly gay one, introduced in "The Pilot" and leaving in "Twice Upon a Time" after Cyber-conversion and rescue by Heather.
Bill Powers
Bill Powers is an American politician and Republican member of the Tennessee Senate from District 22, serving since 2019 after two terms on the Clarksville City Council.
Bill Prady
Bill Prady (born 1960, Detroit) is an American TV writer and producer, co-creator with Chuck Lorre of The Big Bang Theory, former Jim Henson Productions and Muppets writer, and co-creator of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.
Bill Pullman
Bill Pullman (William James Pullman), American actor from Hornell, New York; stage career from 1983, films including Spaceballs, Independence Day (President Whitmore), Lost Highway, and The Sinner; RSC debut and Spaceballs: The New One upcoming.
Bill Pulte
Bill Pulte is an American government official and investor who serves as the 5th Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. He oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.