Some of the commenters have lost their minds. Spike Lee? FDR? It's insane to pick people with super-distinctive looks. 

posted by Valatan at 01:12PM CST on February 24

Jim Henson's a pretty great choice, though 

posted by Valatan at 01:13PM CST on February 24

There are people who don't know what Jim Henson looked like? 

posted by jonthegeek at 03:06PM CST on February 24

Yeah, I'm with Jon. I know exactly what Jim Henson looks like. Maybe it is the beard. But I have no idea what Neil Armstrong looks like.

I kind of know what Dr. Seuss looks like, but I very much know what Shel Silverstein looks like. I don't know what a lot of world leaders look like, but I suppose they might not be considered famous enough. Although strangely I seem to know what infamous leaders look like more than benign but relevant leaders. Nicolas Sarkozy? No idea, but I know what Robert Mugabe looks like.

Also, every time I see Mickey Rourke, I think "Huh, so that is what he looks like." His face doesn't stick in my memory. 

posted by NanoCindy at 03:36PM CST on February 24

I don't know. My mental image of Jim Henson is a guy with a beard surrounded by muppets. remove the muppets, and he's kind of just a generic guy in a beard to me. Sort of like Neil Armstrong is a guy in a spacesuit jumping around on the moon. In that sense, Armstrong is super familiar. 

posted by Valatan at 03:26PM CST on February 25

I guess Thomas Pynchon wouldn't be a bad choice if he were more famous to the average person. 

posted by natedogg at 04:13PM CST on February 25

Well, lets reverse the question. Who is the most recognizable least famous person. Like who would you say, damn I know that face, and have no idea their name. I'm thinking someone from a famous commercial. Like the woman from the "Head On" commercial or something. Or maybe an actor that has made their living being a Law and Order/Cold Case/Without a Trace/Bones extra.  

posted by beckto at 11:20AM CST on February 26

beckto--Mini-Me? 

posted by Valatan at 02:37PM CST on February 26

Good one! 

posted by beckto at 02:40PM CST on February 26

I remember when Barnes and Noble's bags depicted line drawings of authors on them. I don't think I ever recognized any of them except for Edgar Allan Poe. 

posted by DeltaOscar at 02:48PM CST on February 26

Q1: Banksy, given that the denominator is zero. (follow link if you're also a fan -- new recent stuff there).

Q2: Jerry West 

posted by mrflip at 09:12PM CST on February 28