42. Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)

Born outside of Boston to Ukrainian immigrants, Leonard Bernstein became one of the most important faces of classical music in the second half of the twentieth century, composing (among other things) the score for West Side Story and conducting some of the most high-profile performances of the television age.

That we know. We also know that he was gay, having had innumerable affairs with young men even when during the several decades that he was married. But did you know how strikingly handsome he was?

I didn’t, and neither did most of the panelists who voted for him. He was handsome and beautiful and sexy, three very different features, in addition to being brilliant and world-renowned. After Bernstein’s wife died in the mid-seventies, the composer spent his final years living a life fueled by alcohol and the company of much younger men. While it was rather scandalous at the time, it also seems like a rather happy ending.

More photos here.