Most Famous Bennys in the World

What do an ABBA hitmaker, a king of swing, and a genre-bending filmmaker have in common? They all share the name Benny—and they’ve all left a big imprint on music, film, and television. From jazz standards that became part of the Great American Songbook to blockbuster pop singles and acclaimed indie features, these Bennys have shaped what the world listens to and watches.

Below is a friendly tour through widely known Bennys across entertainment. You’ll find key projects, collaborations, awards, and career milestones for each person, with single quotes used for movie and TV titles so you can quickly spot what to queue up next.

Benny Goodman

Benny Goodman (1909–1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader widely known as the “King of Swing.” He led one of the era’s most popular big bands, recorded concert staples, and headlined a landmark Carnegie Hall performance that helped bring jazz into major classical venues. His ensembles featured leading soloists and arrangers, and his playing set rigorous standards for timing and intonation.

Goodman’s groups also broke racial barriers in American popular music by employing Black musicians such as Teddy Wilson and Lionel Hampton in high-profile performances and recordings. Beyond big-band jazz, he premiered and popularized classical concert pieces for clarinet, commissioned new works, and toured internationally as a soloist.

Benny Andersson

Benny Andersson (born 1946) is a Swedish composer, keyboardist, and producer best known as a member of ABBA. With Björn Ulvaeus, he co-wrote global pop standards that helped make ABBA one of the best-selling acts in history, pairing melodic hooks with layered keyboard textures that defined the group’s sound.

After ABBA, Andersson co-created the stage musical Chess with Björn Ulvaeus and Tim Rice and contributed to screen adaptations of ‘Mamma Mia!’. He continues to release music with Benny Anderssons Orkester (BAO) and worked on the ABBA reunion project Voyage, remaining active in songwriting, arranging, and production.

Benny Hill

Benny Hill (1924–1992) was an English comedian, actor, and writer best known for ‘The Benny Hill Show’. The sketch series mixed slapstick, double-entendre wordplay, musical numbers, and location-filmed comedy segments that became a staple of British television and syndicated internationally. The show’s fast-paced chase sequences set to “Yakety Sax” became a widely recognized comedy motif.

Hill’s television work drew large audiences over multiple decades, and he maintained a prolific pace of writing and performing his own material. He also issued comedy recordings, and his variety-style format influenced later sketch programs that blended studio bits with filmed sequences and recurring musical cues.

Benny Blanco

Benny Blanco (born 1988), born Benjamin Levin, is an American record producer, songwriter, and artist whose work has topped charts across pop and hip-hop. His credits include major hits with artists such as Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Justin Bieber, Halsey, Ed Sheeran, and J Balvin, earning multiple awards for songwriting and production from leading music organizations.

Beyond behind-the-board work, Blanco releases music under his own name and runs the imprint Friends Keep Secrets, collaborating widely and mentoring emerging talent. His catalog spans radio singles, album cuts, and cross-genre projects that have accumulated billions of streams.

Benny Safdie

Benny Safdie (born 1986) is an American filmmaker and actor, one half of the Safdie brothers. As co-writer and co-director, he helped create ‘Good Time’ and ‘Uncut Gems’, noted for handheld camerawork, street-level realism, and tightly wound plotting. The brothers’ New York–set films often feature nontraditional casting and vivid, pressure-cooker sound design.

Safdie has also built a parallel acting career with roles in ‘Oppenheimer’, ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.’ and the television series ‘The Curse’, which he co-created. His on-screen work ranges from understated character parts to sharply defined supporting roles, complementing his directorial focus on high-tension storytelling.

Benny Golson

Benny Golson (born 1929) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer whose tunes became standards performed around the world. He wrote pieces such as I Remember Clifford, Killer Joe, Whisper Not, and Along Came Betty, and co-founded the Jazztet with trumpeter Art Farmer, balancing intricate arrangements with hard-bop improvisation.

Golson has arranged for big bands and worked in television and film scoring, bringing his harmonic language to screen projects. He has performed internationally for decades, taught master classes, and made a cameo as himself in ‘The Terminal’, which connected his real-life search for a photograph with the film’s storyline.

Benny Carter

Benny Carter (1907–2003) was an American alto saxophonist, trumpeter, composer, and arranger whose career spanned much of the 20th century. He led bands, recorded as a featured soloist, and wrote for others, contributing to the development of big-band arranging with elegant melodic lines and sophisticated harmonies.

After moving to Los Angeles, Carter became a sought-after film and television composer and arranger while continuing to record and perform. He received multiple lifetime honors from major jazz and recording institutions, reflecting his impact as both a performer and a behind-the-scenes architect.

Benny Boom

Benny Boom (born 1971), born Benny Douglas, is an American film and music video director. He established his reputation with high-profile videos for artists across hip-hop and R&B, creating visually polished work that supported artist branding and single launches.

In features and television, Boom directed the biographical film ‘All Eyez on Me’ and has helmed episodes of ‘Empire’, ‘The Blacklist’, and ‘All American’. He continues to alternate between long-form storytelling and music visuals, applying studio-scale craft to projects across platforms.

Benny Ibarra

Benny Ibarra (born 1970) is a Mexican singer, songwriter, musician, and actor who first gained fame with the pop group Timbiriche. He later launched a successful solo career with radio-ready releases and collaborations that blended pop, rock, and Latin influences.

Ibarra has acted in television and stage productions and joined the collaborative trio Sasha, Benny y Erik, reuniting former Timbiriche members for recordings and tours. He remains active as a performer and producer across Spanish-speaking markets, contributing to compilations and live releases.

Benny Dayal

Benny Dayal (born 1984) is an Indian playback singer whose voice is heard across Hindi and South Indian film industries. He has recorded high-energy dance numbers and mid-tempo tracks with leading composers, placing songs on major film soundtracks and music charts.

Outside film work, Dayal fronts the funk and R&B band Funktuation, bringing live arrangements to festival and club stages. He appears on television music programs and international concert tours, building a cross-language repertoire that keeps him in steady demand for new releases.

Benny Chan

Benny Chan (1961–2020) was a Hong Kong film director and producer known for large-scale action cinema. His credits include ‘New Police Story’, ‘Connected’, ‘The White Storm’, and ‘Call of Heroes’, projects that paired elaborate set pieces with character-driven stakes and frequent collaborations with stars such as Jackie Chan and Louis Koo.

Chan began his career in television at TVB before moving to feature films, where he developed a reputation for kinetic action and polished production values. His projects performed strongly at the box office in Hong Kong and across Asia, and he received posthumous recognition from regional award bodies for his contributions to the genre.

Benny Urquidez

Benny “The Jet” Urquidez (born 1952) is an American kickboxing world champion who crossed over into film as an actor, stunt coordinator, and fight choreographer. He appeared in action films such as ‘Wheels on Meals’ and ‘Dragons Forever’, staging screen fights noted for speed, rhythm, and technical precision.

Urquidez has coached actors for demanding fight roles and consulted on choreography to adapt ring techniques to cinematic framing. He maintained a long competitive career with multiple world titles before focusing on film work and instruction, bridging professional fighting with action-film craft.

Share your picks for the most iconic Bennys in entertainment in the comments!