Cult Figure Power Rankings

In the study of cult figures there are far more questions than answers. What is a cult figure? Who is a cult figure and who is not, and why? How should the term "cult figure" be defined? Can someone still be a cult figure when they no longer have a measurable cult following? At what moment did a cult figure become a cult figure?

Cult figures today are usually a product of the film industry, television industry, music industry or sports, but not always. Arnold Schwarzenegger was a cult figure in international body building circles long before he he came to the general publics attention through the film industry in the early 1980's. Much earlier, during the post American Civil War period, American outlaw Jesse James would undoubtably have been considered a cult figure to those who considered him a modern day Robin Hood and although Jesse James has no measurable cult figure power ranking anymore he is still classifiable as a cult figure.

Cult figures can also be cultural icons, but there is a difference. Marilyn Monroe, for example, is one of America's greatest cultural icons, but she's also a cult figure. Babe Ruth is a cultural icon as is Albert Einstein, but neither has ever been a cult figure.

One thing is apparent. All cult figures, whether living or deceased, have a certain aura about them which holds a strong fascination among those attracted by it. If the aura is strong enough a cult following developers. A cult figure's power ranking is a measurement of the size and strength of that cult following compared to size and strength of the cult followings of other cult figures. The power rankings below are the current power rankings for all cult figures. And now, the January 2008 Cult Figure Cult Power Ratings.

Elvis Presley - Cult Figure Power Ranking - 100
Born, January 8, 1935 - Died, August 16, 1977. Cause of death - accidental drug overdose. Even after stripping away the impersonators, the black velvet paintings and the intense commercialization which makes Elvis seem more camp than cult, the "King", in terms of the size and strength of a cult following, is the king.

Bob Dylan - Cult Figure Power Ranking - 74.11
Born, May 24, 1941. American singer-songwriter, author, musician, poet, and occasional film actor.

Marilyn Monroe - Cult Figure Power Ranking - 66.50
Born, June 1, 1926 - Died, August 5, 1962. Cause of death - accidental drug overdose. American actress; American sex symbol.

Bruce Lee - Cult Figure Power Ranking - 28.54
Born, November 27, 1940 - Died, July 20, 1973. Cause of death - accidental allergic reaction to a pain killer pill. World's greatest martial artist. Hong Kong and American film actor. In Jack Vaughn's 1986 book, The Legendary Bruce Lee, it is stated that Lee's combat movements were at times too fast to be captured on film at 24 frames per second, so that many scenes were shot in 32 frames per second to put Lee in slow motion. Normally in martial arts films the cameras are sped up, not slowed down. Lee has an enormous and very strong cult following in this country and internationally- an indication of just how large and active the cult followings of Marilyn Monroe, Bob Dylan, and Elvis Presley are.

James Dean - Cult Figure Power Ranking - 24.80
Born, February 8, 1931 - Died, September 30, 1955. Cause of death - Automobile accident. American film actor . The rebel without a cause. In an age of conformity James Dean emerged as the one who stood up for a generation of alienated youth against the establishment.

Arnold Schwarzenegger - Cult Figure Power Ranking 20.34
Born, July 30, 1947. The "Austrian Oak". His power ranking reflects the basis of his cult following among bodybuilding circles. Schwarzenegger's popularity as an American film actor as well as Schwarzenegger's political supporters were filtered out of his power ranking calculation. The most famous bodybuilder of all time, Mr. Olympia 1970-1975, then retired from competitive bodybuilding until winning the Olympia again in a 1980 comeback. Focus of a 1975 bodybuilding documentary titled, Pumping Iron. Columnist for the bodybuilding magazines and syndicated newspapers, author of Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding and other books. .

Frank Zappa - Cult Figure Power Ranking 20.01
Born, December 21, 1940 - Died, December 3, 1993. Cause of death - long-term illness, American avant-garde, rock, pop, jazz, symphonic, electronic composer-musician,

Michael Jordan - Cult Figure Power Ranking 18.12
Born, February 17, 1963. American NBA basketball player 1984-2003. Holds the NBA record for highest career regular season scoring average with 30.1 points per game. In 1999 named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN. Six NBA Championships, five time NBA most valuable player. Could "slam dunk" a basketball while taking off from the free-throw line, 15 feet away.

Frank Sinatra - Cult Figure Strength 16.9
Born 1915 - Died, May 14,1998. Cause of death - heart failure. American pop, jazz orientated singer, American film actor, Chairman of the Board, intriguing associations with American organized crime figures, "It's Frank's world, we just live in it", - Dean Martin.

Chuck Norris - Cult Figure Power Ranking 16.41
Born, March 10, 1940. World Class Karate Champion, American film actor, American television actor, commercial spokesperson for Total Gym®, created the Mariel art Chun Kuk Do. Object of a current Internet phenomenon known as Chuck Norris Facts, which document absurd feats and characteristics about Norris. Also author of several Christian books. Chuck Norris doesn't actually write books, the words assemble themselves out of fear.

Christopher Walken - Cult Figure Power Ranking 6.56
Born, March 31, 1943. Academy award winning American film and stage actor.

Martha Stewart - Cult Figure Power Ranking 4.9
Born, August 3, 1941. Business magnate and corporate cult figure, former stockbroker, fashion model, author of books and articles on homemaking topics, daytime television host, commercial spokeswoman for K-Mart. In 2001 she was named the third most powerful woman in America by Ladies Home Journal. In 2004 convicted of lying to investigators about a stock sale and served five months in prison.

Fabio - Cult Figure Power Ranking 1.9
Born, March 15, 1959. Fabio Lanzoni, Male fashion model, romance novel cover model, romance novel author, commercial spokesperson for "I Can't Believe I's Not Butter".

John Lennon - Cult Figure Power Ranking 1.39
Born, October 9, 1940 - Died, December 8, 1980. Cause of death - homicide. English singer-songwriter, musician, poet, artist, peace activist, one of the founding members of the British rock, pop, experimental group - The Beatles.

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SOURCES
Jack Vaughn, (1986), The Legendary Bruce Lee
ESPN, Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century
Encyclopedia of NBA Statistics
Ladies Home Journal
Wikipedia