Michael Nesmith of The Monkees was born in Houston, Texas, in 1942. His parents divorced when he was young, and he was brought up in relative poverty by his mother, Bette, who worked as a secretary. While at work, she invented a correction fluid, which she sold to other typists. Her son helped her bottle it in their garage. But her business soon outgrew the garage and in 1979 Bette sold Liquid Paper for almost $50m.
Spotted in The Week