10 Famous People Who Used To Be Teachers!

Jon Hamm

Jonathan Daniel ‘Jon’ Hamm is best known for his role as ‘Don Draper’ in Mad Men, the period drama that gave us lots of insight into the advertising world of the ‘60s. Additionally, he is famous for acting roles in plenty of other movies and TV series, such as 30 Rock (2006-2013), Bridesmaids (2011), Million Dollar Arm (2014) and the science fiction movie ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still’.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Missouri and then returned to the high school he studied in (and now is among the famous teachers UK list down among celebs), to teach acting to eight graders. One of her students from that time is Ellie Kemper, who is best known for her role in The Office (2009-2013) and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015-2020).

Born: 10^th March 1971 (age 49)

Place of Birth: St. Louis, Missouri, United States

Occupation: Actor, producer

Taught at: John Burroughs School

Lyndon B. Johnson

Also referred to as ‘LBJ’, Lyndon B. Johnson was the 36^th President of the United States assumed the office after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. He completed his high school education from Johnson City High School and then enrolled in the Texas State University.

For some time, he paused his college education and taught at Cotulla, which is in La Salle County to Mexican-American students. This is an inspirational story from one of the resided UK celebrities who were teachers. After saving money for his own education, he graduated in 1930. Afterwards, he taught at Pearsall High School and then became a public speaking teacher at Sam Houston High School in Boston, before entering into politics. Still made to the list of UK celebs who were teachers at some point in life.

Born: 27^th August 1908 (died aged 64 on 22^nd January 1973)

Place of Birth: Stonewall, Texas, United States

Occupation: 36^th President of the United States

Taught at: Cotulla, La Salle County, Texas; Pearsall High School, Pearsall, Frio County, Texas; Sam Houston High School, Houston, Texas

J.K. Rowling

The writer of the Harry Potter series, Joanne Rowling has achieved worldwide fame for her written works. However, her life has been a series of struggles itself; J.K. Rowling did not let her hard times put her down and is now the author of one of the best-selling series of all time.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in French and Classics at the University of Exeter and then moved to Porto, Portugal for teaching English as a foreign language and now is one of the famous people who used to be teachers.

Born: 31^st July 1965

Place of Birth: Yate, Gloucestershire, England

Occupation: writer, philanthropist

Taught at: Porto, Portugal

Hugh Jackman

Hugh Michael Jackman is one of the most popular actors in Hollywood and is one of the British celebrities who were teachers, plus, he is best known for his role as Wolverine in the X-Men film series, which ran from 2000 to 2018. Other than this, he had success in his roles in Kate & Leopold (2001), Van Helsing (2004), The Prestige (2006), Les Miserables (2012) and The Greatest Showman (2017).

After graduating from high school, he worked as a Physical Education teacher at Uppingham School in England. He enrolled in University of Technology, Sydney after working as a P.E. teacher during his gap year and finally graduated with a BA in Communications. He still made it to the list of celebrities who were teachers UK natives are well aware of!

Born: 12^th October 1968 (age 52)

Place of Birth: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Occupation: actor, singer, producer

Taught at: Uppingham School in England

Jimmy Carter

James Earl Carter Jr. or Jimmy Carter, as he is known, was the 39^th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981 and had an active role in politics. His work on co-founding the Carter Centre led him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize as well in 2002.

However, former President Jimmy Carter has dedicated his expertise in teaching as well. Currently he teaches Sunday school at the Maranatha Baptist Church and at Emory University in Atlanta too. In fact, in 2019, he was awarded tenure for 37 years of service at the university. He has the honor of being one of the best celebs who were teachers UK fans are drooling over.

Born: 1^st October 1924 (age 96)

Place of Birth: Plains, Georgia, United States

Occupation: politician, philanthropist, former US President and former farmer

Taught at: Maranatha Baptist Church, Emory University in Atlanta

Sheryl Crow

American musician, singer, songwriter and one of the famous teachers, Sheryl Crow has nine Grammy Awards to her name along with successful songs such as Tomorrow Never Dies from the 1997 James Bond movie of the same name.

After graduating from University of Missouri with Bachelor of Arts in Music, she put her music education to use at taught music at Kellison Elementary School in Fention, Missouri. As a teacher during the day, she began utilising opportunities for singing in bands on weekends.

There are no current updates if UK celebrities who used to be teachers are still on or not but Sheryl is!

Born: 11^th February 1962 (age 58)

Place of Birth: Kennett, Missouri, United States

Occupation: Singer, songrwriter, musician, actress

Taught at: Kellison Elementary School in Fention, Missouri

Steve Wozniak

Best known for co-founding Apple in the ‘80s, Steve Wozniak has remained popular for his inventions and innovations in the IT industry. He employed a significant role in the personal computer revolution and has used his knowledge to teach computer classes to children at elementary school too and become one from the list of celebs who used to be teachers UK has always remembered.

While he did not complete his education initially, he returned back to UC Berkeley to complete his degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He even collaborated with the Los Gatos School District to hire teachers so he could teach computer science to middle school students in this own computer lab and is still known among the famous people who were teachers.

Born: 11^th August 1950 (age 70)

Place of Birth: San Jose, California, United States

Occupation: programmer, entrepreneur, electronics engineer, philanthropist

Taught at: an elementary school in Santa Cruz

Sting

Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner ‘Sting’ is popular for being the lead singer and bassist for the Police, one of the most famous wave rock bands in the world. He has had a successful solo career as well, earning 17 Grammy Awards and a spot in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame too. Along with an opportunity of being a celebrity who was a teacher UK fans still recalls.

While he is currently one of the best-selling music artists in the world, Sting worked several jobs after high school before enrolling in Northern Counties College of Education. His education qualified him as a teacher and he worked for two years at St. Paul’s First School in Cramlington. Perhaps he could help in dissertation writing London based too? Given his English background? Anyhow he is still known to be in the celebrities that used to be teachers once.

Born: 2^nd October 1951

Place of Birth: Wallsend, Northumberland, England

Occupation: singer, songwriter, musician, actor

Taught at: an elementary school in Santa Cruz

Gene Simmons

The fire-breathing bassist of KISS, Gene Simmons has remained in the spotlight for his work with the rock and roll band KISS and for his trivial image otherwise too. The Israeli-American singer, songwriter and musician is known for his stage persona ‘the Demon’ and for being the co-lead singer of the band too. Not to MISS that he was one of the celebrities who used to be teachers (shocking, eh?).

Before he began singing with baritone voice with KISS, Gene Simmons taught to sixth graders at a public school on Manhattan’s west upper side. It was during this time that he realised that he was teaching because he liked performing in front of people. However, he aspired to perform in front of a larger crowd, thereby taking his passion for music further. Anyhow, he will be among famous former teachers UK know about.

Born: 25^th August 1949

Place of Birth: Tirat Carmel, Israel

Occupation: singer, songwriter, musician, entrepreneur, author, producer and actor

Taught at: a public school on the upper west side of Manhattan

Art Garfunkel

Arthur Ira ‘Art’ Garfunkel is primarily known for singing in the folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel with Paul Simon. Outside of the duo, Art Garfunkel has fared a successful solo career too and has earned eight Grammys in total (for both his solo and collaborative work) and a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and lies in the list of celebs who used to be teachers.

Art Garfunkel has done more in his life too, besides music. He possesses a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and a Master of Arts in Mathematics Education, both from the Teachers College, Columbia University. In fact, he completed a doctorate coursework as well and is from one of those rare actors who were teachers UK history talk about.

During his hiatus from Simon & Garfunkel, he appeared in Catch 22 (1970) and Carnal Knowledge (1971) and worked as a Mathematics teacher at Litchfield Academy in Connecticut, where he taught geometry to high school sophomores. Students still remember him as from the magical portal of celebrities who were teachers U.K. is blessed with.

Born: 5^th November 1941

Place of Birth: New York City, New York, United States

Occupation: singer, actor, poet

Taught at: Litchfield Academy in Connecticut as a mathematics teacher