William Griffith Wilson (26 November 1895-24 January 1971) (also known as Bill Wilson or Bill W.), was the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), a fellowship of self-help groups dedicated to helping alcoholics recover from their addiction. According to the AA tradition of anonymity, Wilson was and still is commonly known as "Bill W." In 1934, in the course of his struggle with alcoholism, …

David Justin Hanson, PhD, (born 1941) is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the State University of New York at Potsdam, NY, USA. Hanson researched the subject of alcohol and drinking for over 30 years, beginning with his PhD dissertation investigation, and has written widely on the subject.

Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 - August 13, 1995) was an American baseball player who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. He played his entire 18-year major-league professional career for the New York Yankees, winning 3 American League MVP titles and playing for 16 All-Star teams. Mantle played on 12 pennant winners and 7 World Championship clubs. He still holds the records for most World Series home runs (18), RBIs (40), runs (42), …

Dr. Bob Smith (Robert Holbrook Smith, b. 8 August 1879; d. 16 November 1950) was a physician and surgeon from Akron, Ohio and co founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. He was also known as Dr. Bob. He was born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, where he was raised, to Susan A. Holbrook and Walter Perrin Smith. After graduation from Dartmouth College in 1902, he completed medical school at the University of Michigan.

Marty Mann (1904-1980) was the first woman in Alcoholics Anonymous & author of the chapter "Women Suffer Too"in the 2nd and 3rd Editions of the Big Book of AA. In part, because of her life work, the consensus developed that alcoholism was less of a moral issue and more of a health issue (The disease model). She was from an upper middle class family in Chicago. She married and became an alcoholic. In 1939 she saw a psychiatrist, Dr. Harry Tiebout, …

Steven Roy Howe (March 10 1958 - April 28 2006) was an American left-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who spent most of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. Born in Pontiac, Michigan, Howe was a two-time All-Big Ten selection at the University of Michigan. He made his Major League debut at the age of 22 in 1980 and would eventually become the National League Rookie of the Year that year, …

Philip J. Cook is a professor of public policy, sociology, and economics at Duke University in the United States. His research has focused on firearms and crime, as well as alcohol abuse and related problems. Cook is the author of "Gun Violence: The Real Costs", a book published by Oxford University Press, that presents gun violence from an economic perspective.

Lois Wilson née Burnham was the founder of Al-Anon, a support group for the friends and family of alcoholics. She was the wife of Alcoholics Anonymous founder Bill W. She was born into affluence in Brooklyn Heights with her father being a prominent surgeon and gynecologist. Abraham Lincoln's grandchildren were playmates of her siblings when they were young and they attended prestigious schools.

Jack Trimpey and his wife Lois, are the founders and president and vice-president (respectively) of Rational Recovery. He is a pioneer in the management of alcoholism and other drug addictions. Although he admits to 25 years of "world class alcoholism", he developed the system of self recovery gradually by refusing to continue drinking. He invented and teaches how to achieve abstinence through books, …

Doug Thorburn is a researcher who became romantically involved with an alcohol and other-drug addict, survived, and vowed "never again." To protect himself, he decided he'd better learn something about the disease. Stumbling upon open AA meetings, he decided that was an excellent place to start. At these recovery meetings, he observed, interacted, spoke with and in the end, …

Edwin Throckmorton Thacher (29 April 1896-21 March 1966) (commonly known as Ebby Thacher or Ebby T.), was an old drinking friend of Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill Wilson. He is credited with introducing Wilson to the initial principles that AA would soon develop, such as "one alcoholic talking to another," and the Jungian thesis which was passed along to Rowland Hazard and, in turn, …

William Duncan Silkworth, M.D., (1873?-1951) was an American medical doctor and specialist in the treatment of alcoholism. He was Director of the Charles B. Towns Hospital for Drug and Alcohol Addictions in New York City in the 1930s, during which time Bill Wilson, a future co-founder of the mutual-help movement Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.), was admitted on three separate occasions for alcoholism.

Jeffrey Bernard (May 27, 1932 - September 4, 1997) was a British journalist, notorious for a feckless and chaotic career and life of alcohol abuse. He was immortalised in a play "Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell" by Keith Waterhouse. Born in London, the son of Oliver Percy Bernard and Dora Hodges (1896-1950), an opera singer, he was the brother of Bruce Bonus Bernard. Though named Jerry by his parents, at an early age he adopted Jeffrey.

Kevin Reardon Lloyd (28 March 1949 - 2 May 1998) was a British actor, born in Derby, and trained at East 15 Acting School, London. Best known for his part of DC Alfred "Tosh" Lines in Thames Television's "The Bill". Prior to this he had already played the high profile role of nightclub owner, Don Watkins, in the soap opera "Coronation Street". He also made appearances in a number of other TV shows, including "Boon", "Minder", "Z-Cars", …

Gary Holton (2 September, 1952 - 25 October, 1985) was an English actor and musician from London. He is best remembered for playing the part of Wayne in the UK TV comedy "Auf Wiedersehen, Pet".

Anne Ripley Smith (b.?, d. June 1, 1949) wife of AA Co-founder Dr Bob Smith, Mother and Co-Founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. Anne Smith's influence in AA became widely known through her publication, "Anne Smith's Journal, 1933-1939". She compiled and shared with early AAs and their families the materials comprising early AA's spiritual program--the Bible, Quiet Time, the teachings of Sam Shoemaker, the principles of the Oxford Group, and Christian literature of the day.

Carl Deuker is an award-winning author of young adult novels. His first novel, "On the Devil's Court", was published in 1989. Deuker's books are aimed at middle-school to high school audiences. Typically, Deuker uses a sports context to explore more important issues. For example, "Heart of a Champion" deals with teenage alcohol abuse, "Painting the Black" takes on sexual assault and peer pressure, "Night Hoops" deals with violence, neglect, …

Thomas K. Casady (born August 11, 1953) is the Chief of Police for the Lincoln Police Department in Lincoln, Nebraska. Tom Casady has served Lincoln as Chief of Police since January 1994. Chief Casady began his law enforcement career as a Lincoln police officer in 1974. He also served the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office for seven years, completing a term as the Lancaster County Sheriff prior to his appointment as Chief of Police.