Helen Rowland put it best by saying, "A man's desire for a son is usually nothing but the wish to duplicate himself in order that such a remarkable pattern may not be lost to the world." There's no shortage of famous father and son combinations in the world---likely due to the son already having a foot in the door within the world of fame. From politics to acting and sports, there are several famous fathers and sons in American culture.
George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush
George H.W. Bush was the 41st U.S. president. His son, George W. Bush, later became the 43rd U.S. president. Both were involved in conflicts around the world. George H.W. sent troops to Panama to remove General Noriega and initiated "Desert Storm" in Kuwait to help remove Saddam Hussein's Iraqi forces. George W. later sent troops into Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban, which was harboring the Al-Queda camps, and subsequently sent troops into Iraq. Both presidents were Yale graduates and also were part of a U.S. economic crisis.
John Adams and John Quincy Adams
The first Vice President and the second President of the U.S., John Adams was a lawyer and political philosopher and played a major role in the U.S. revolution. His son John Quincy Adams, the sixth U.S. President, continued the tradition of his father. Harvard educated lawyers, they both served as diplomats as well as members of Congress. John Quincy Adams fought for freedom of speech and spoke out against slavery. Like his father, he only served for one term.
Archie and Peyton Manning
Sports is another area where father and son combinations occur frequently. Archie Manning can boast of being head of an entire football family. Sons include both Peyton and Eli, both of whom have won a Super Bowl in the NFL. Archie was an All American Quarterback and the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1978.
Arguably the most famous of the sons, Peyton Manning holds the NFL record for most MVP awards, totaling four as of 2011. Fox Sports named him "Player of the Decade" in 2009. He was ranked in 2010 as the "eighth best player in NFL history" and the only one still active among the Top 10.
Kirk and Michael Douglas
Kirk Douglas rose out of New York to become one of American Film Institute's "greatest male-American screen legends of all time" and awarded its Lifetime Achievement Award. A producer, stage actor and a big star starting in the 40s and extending into subsequent decades throughout the 20th century, he earned the Academy Honorary Award in 1995 for "50 years as a creative force in the motion industry." Successful films include "The Racers," "The Glass Menagerie" and "A Gun Fight."
Michael Douglas followed in his father's footsteps, earning three Golden Globes Awards and two Academy Awards as producer and actor. Like his father, he has won AFI's Life Achievement Award. His films include "Wall Street," "The Game," and "The American President."
