Adam Ant

Name at birth: Stuart Leslie Goddard

After art school, Goddard got keen on rock music and changed his name to Adam Ant. By 1977 the band was popular in punk-torn England, and Ant's self-named "antmusic" -- distinctive theatrics and a tribal drum sound -- made him a local idol. His fancy dress and distinctive white stripe of face paint became his signature. He took his act to America and benefited from a new TV channel called MTV. He is remembered for such hits as "Dirk Wears White Sox," "Stand and Deliver" and, later, "Goody Two Shoes". When his popularity on the charts dwindled, Ant took to acting in movies and TV shows. In 2002 he was arrested in a London pub for assault and possession of a firearm (witnesses said he threatened a crowd with a starter's pistol after patrons laughed at his clothing ensemble).