Born Oprah Gail Winfrey (January 29, 1954), an American television host, actress, producer, and philanthropist, best known for her self-titled, multi-award winning and highly successful talk show. After a childhood marred by considerable hardship, Winfrey landed a job in radio while still in high school and began co-anchoring the local evening news at the age of 19. Her emotional ad-lib delivery eventually got her transferred to the daytime talk show arena, and after boosting a third-rated local Chicago talk show to first place she launched her own production company. Winfrey has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century, the greatest black philanthropist in American history, and was once the world's only black billionaire. She is also dubbed the most influential woman in the world.