Simon Cowell

Before the Pop Idol franchise made him one of the most recognizable faces on television, Simon Cowell enjoyed a lucrative career as an A&R executive, television producer, label owner, record producer, and -- in his first job ever -- a mailroom clerk at EMI Records. Born in 1959, he was raised in a well-to-do British household by his mother (a former dancer), his father (an industry exec at EMI), and a slew of nannies, none of whom were able to curb Cowell's penchant for underage drinking and smoking. Attending several notable boarding schools turned out to be fruitless, as Cowell was ejected from every one due to bad behavior. His father had powerful influence in the music industry, however, and was able to secure his son an entry-level job at EMI in the mid-'70s.