Up till now, only 16 people managed to achieve EGOT status. But what does this even mean? This term was coined in 1984 by actor Philip Michael Thomas, and it’s an acronym for the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards.
Philip Michael Thomas publicly declared he wanted to achieve EGOT status, meaning that he was trying to win each of the above-mentioned awards. Unfortunately, he was never nominated for any of them, but many others did!
Receiving EGOT status is an incredible achievement that only the best artists can accomplish. So far, it has taken an average span of 27 years for artists to win all four awards. But, some people managed to receive all four in just a few years, achieving their EGOT status at an incredibly young age!
Here is a list of the youngest EGOT winners of all time!
9. Audrey Hepburn (May 04, 1929 – 20 January, 1993)
Age at completion of EGOT: 63 years and 8 months
EGOT completed in: 1994
Year span to complete the EGOT: 41
Number of awards won: 4
Occupation: actress
photo source: commons.wikimedia.org
Unfortunately, Audrey Hepburn never got the chance to celebrate her EGOT status. She won her last award, a Grammy for the Best Spoken Word Album for Children, the year after her death in 1993. But she still got plenty of awards to celebrate!
In the year of her death, she received an Emmy for a documentary on the most fascinating gardens in the world known as Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn. In 1994, she also won a Tony award as best actress in Ondine, and in 1953 she received an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role in Roman Holiday.
Audrey Hepburn was also nominated as best actress for her most iconic movie, Breakfast at Tiffany. But that year, Sophia Loren won the award for her performance in Two Women. Nonetheless, Breakfast at Tiffany still managed to get an Oscar for Best Song.
Did You Know?
Audrey Hepburn was the first person to win her EGOT posthumously.
8. Richard Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979)
Age at completion of EGOT: 59 years and 10 months
EGOT completed in: 1962
Year span to complete the EGOT: 17
Number of awards won: 10
Occupation: composer
photo source: commons.wikimedia.org
Richard Rodgers was the first person to win an EGOT award in 1979, at the age of 59. It took him only 17 years to get all four awards. He’s considered one of the most influential 20th century US musicians as he composed 43 Broadway musicals and more than 900 songs!
While Audrey Hepburn only won one of each award, Richard Rodgers could be proud of his multiple trophies! Throughout his career, he got six Tony and two Grammy Awards. However, his personal life wasn’t the happiest. He was prone to depression and had huge alcohol problems.
He received his first Oscar in 1954 for his song ‘It Might As Well Be Spring’. In 1962, he won both a Grammy for Best Original Cast Show Album and an Emmy for the soundtrack he composed for the documentary Winston Churchill: The Valiant Years.
Did You Know?
In 1990, the 46th Street Theater in Manhattan was renamed Richard Rodgers Theater, in honor of this amazing composer!
7. Jonathan Tunik (April 19, 1938 – present)
Age at completion of EGOT: 59 years and 1 months
EGOT completed in: 1997
Year span to complete the EGOT: 20
Number of awards won: 4
Occupation: composer
photo source: www.belenzon.com
Jonathan Tunik received EGOT status at the age of 59, just like Richard Rodgers. He is a famous composer especially known for orchestrating the work of Stephen Sondheim. He completed his EGOT in 1997 when he won the Best Orchestration Tony Award with his music for the Titanic.
Jonathan Tunik also received an Oscar for A Little Night Music, an Emmy for Night of 100 Stars, and a Grammy for the song No One Is Alone, written for the musical Into the Woods.
Did You Know?
Even though Jonathan Tunik is now a renowned orchestra director when he was a teenager, his main instrument was the clarinet.
6. Scott Rudin (July 14, 1958)
Age at completion of EGOT: 53 years and 6 months
EGOT completed in: 2012
Year span to complete the EGOT: 28
Number of awards won: 21
Occupation: film, television, and theatre producer
photo source: www.vulture.com
Scott Rudin won all four awards at the age of 53! He was the first producer to achieve EGOT status, and together with Alan Menken, he received the highest number of awards among all EGOT winners. In fact, he won a total of 21 awards most of which are Tonys’. Almost one for every year, since 2000.
Despite the success, several of his coworkers have denounced his abusive behavior in the last few years. In an article by the Hollywood Reporter, some of his ex-employees openly criticized his conduct. Following the publication of the article, Scott Rudin announced he was going to take some time off to work on self-improvement.
Did You Know?
Scott Rudin is one of the few openly homosexual producers in Hollywood. He’s extremely proud of this and talked about his experience after winning an Oscar for best picture for the movie No Country For Old Men in 2008.
5. Marvin Hamlisch (June 2, 1944 – August 6, 2012)
Age at completion of EGOT: 51 years and 3 months
EGOT completed in: 1995
Year span to complete the EGOT: 22
Number of awards won: 12
Occupation: composer
photo source: commons.wikimedia.org
Marvin Hamlisch was the sixth person who won all four awards and the second composer to do so. He was born in NYC to a Viennese-Jewish family. This incredible composer immediately showed an interest in music and, before his 7th birthday, was admitted to the Juilliard School of Music. At the admission, Marvin Hamlisch distinguished himself by showing he could play the popular song I’m Yours, in any key the admission committee requested.
His first paid job was as a rehearsal pianist for the Broadway movie, Funny Girl, starring Barbra Streisand. As time went by, Hamlisch’s music became more and more popular. In 1973 he won three Oscars for the movies The Way We Are and The Sting. Throughout his career, he also received four Emmy Awards and four Grammys!
Did You Know?
Along with Richard Rodgers, Marvin Hamlisch is the only person who managed to win a PEGOT. An award given to people who win a Pulzier, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award.
4. Whoopi Goldberg (November 13, 1955 – present)
Age at completion of EGOT: 46 years and 6 months
EGOT completed in: 2002
Year span to complete the EGOT: 16
Number of awards won: 5
Occupation: actress
photo source: wikimedia.org
Caryn Elaine Johnson, known by most as Whoopi Goldberg, was the tenth person to win all four awards in 2002. She was also the first black woman to receive EGOT status in 50 years.
Goldberg began her career at the age of 28, working for the Spook Show, which was soon renamed, Whoopi Goldberg. Thanks to this show, Goldberg won her first award, in 1986, a Grammy for Best Comedy Album.
She later won an Oscar in 1990 as the best-supporting actress for Ghost. Later on, in 2002, she managed to win both an Emmy for her performance in Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel and a Tony Award for her role in Thoroughly Modern Millie.
Throughout her career, Whoopi has taken part in plenty of movies, from the famous Sister Act to other classics such as The Color Purple, Jumpin Jack Flash, and Made in America.
Did You Know?
Whoopi Goldberg was the first woman to host the Academy Awards without a co-host.
3. Rita Moreno (December 11, 1931 – present)
Age at completion of EGOT: 45 years and 9 months
EGOT completed in: 1977
Year span to complete the EGOT: 16
Number of awards won: 5
Occupation: actress
photo source: commons.wikimedia.org
Rita Moreno won her last awards in 1977, at the age of 45, thanks to her performance in The Muppet Show. She was the third person to get an EGOT and the second woman after Helen Hayes, who also received her last award in 1977.
Rita Moreno won her first Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in 1961 for her fantastic acting in West Side Story. Nine years later, she received a Grammy for her performance in the children’s program The Electric Company, and in 1975 got a Tony for the comedy farce, The Ritz.
Did You Know?
Rita Moreno was the first Latina to win all four awards.
2. John Legend (December 28, 1978)
Age at completion of EGOT: 39 years and 8 months
EGOT completed in: 2018
Year span to complete the EGOT: 12
Number of awards won: 16
Occupation: singer and songwriter
photo source: commons.wikimedia.org
John Roger Stephens, known by most as John Legend, was the first black man to achieve EGOT status. He took only 12 years to get all four awards at the age of 39 and eight months.
John Legend was born into a musical family. His mother directed a church choir, while his dad played the drums. As a child, he was homeschooled while taking piano lessons and singing in his church choir. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, he moved to NYC where he worked for Boston Consulting Group. At night, he would play the piano and sing in different nightclubs trying to make it as a songwriter.
Luckily, his career was bound to change forever in 2001, when he met Kanye West. More and more opportunities soon came out as he started to collaborate with famous artists such as Alicia Keys, and the Black Eyed Peas.
In 2006, John Legend received his first Grammy for Best New Artists. In 2017, he won his first Oscar for the best original song, Glory, composed for the movie Selma. He then proceeded to win a Tony award for the play Jitney, and an Emmy for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.
Did You Know?
John Legend was the first to receive all four awards in four consecutive years. He also won the most Grammy awards among all EGOT winners, 12 in total!
1. Robert Lopez (February 23, 1975)
Age at completion of EGOT: 39 years
EGOT completed in: 2013
Year span to complete the EGOT: 10
Number of awards won: 11
Occupation: songwriter for musical
photo source: commons.wikimedia.org
Robert Lopez is the youngest EGOT winner as he won his fourth award at the age of 39. But that’s not all! He is also the fastest EGOT winner as it took him only ten years, from his first award in 2004 to the last in 2013. He is also the only person who managed to win all awards twice, meaning that he actually achieved EGOT status twice!
Robert Lopez is known by most for his iconic song Let It Go, which got him an Oscar in 2013. Apart from this, he won 11 different awards for his compositions used in several tv series, musical comedies, and animation movies.
Did You Know?
Robert Lopez was the first Asian American to achieve EGOT status.
