Celebrities Who Have An Erdős–Bacon Number

Below is a list of celebrities (mainly actors) who have an Erdős–Bacon number. But first some definitions.

What Is An Erdős number?

The Erdős number is named after Paul Erdős who was a well known mathematician born in 1913. He published over 1500 scientific papers. The Erdős number was created to honor the mathematician's prolific scholarly output. Paul Erdős wrote more papers during his lifetime (mainly through co-authorship) than any other mathematician.

An Erdős number is calculated as follows. The Erdős number of Paul Erdős is set to 0. The Erdős number of someone else is calculated using the formula k+1 where k is the lowest Erdős Number of a co-author.

So, for example if someone, let's say his name is Jack, collaborates directly with Paul Erdős on a scientific paper, then Jack's Erdos number is 0+1 = 1. If Jack then goes on to collaborate will Jill on another paper, but Jill does not directly collaborate with Paul Erdos, then Jill's Erdos Number is 1+1 = 2.

Anyone who does not bare a co-authorship connection with Paul Erdos is given and Erdos number of infinity or is said to have an undefined Erdos number.

To be given an Erdos Number, someone has to collaborate with a co-author who has a finite Erdos number.

What Is A Bacon number?

The Bacon number got it's name from the actor Kevin Bacon who claimed that he ad worked with everyone in Hollywood or worked with someone else whose worked with someone in Hollywood. This claim was made in 1994 during an interview for the film "The River Wild".

The Bacon number is the acting equivalent of the  Erdos number and is calculated using a similar "shortest path" algorithm. The Bacon number of Kevin Bacon is 0. The Bacon number of another actor is calculated using the formula N+1 where N is the lowest Bacon number of the co-star.

For example, an actor or actress who has worked directly with Kevin Bacon (Bacon number = 0) has a Bacon number of 0 +1 = 1. An actor who works with a co-star who has a Bacon number of 1, but has not themselves worked with Kevin Bacon, has a Bacon number of 1+1 =2 and so on.

What Is An Erdős–Bacon number?

The Erdős–Bacon number is simply the sum of someone's Erdős number and their Bacon number. As you might already appreciate, people who have an  Erdős–Bacon number are a rarity. Below is a list of famous people with Erdős–Bacon numbers.


List Of Celebrities With Erdős–Bacon numbers

Colin Firth (Actor)

Colin has an Erdős number of 6 as a result of the co-authorship of a paper entitled "Political Orientations Are Correlated with Brain Structure in Young Adults". Colin Firth's Bacon number is 1 since he acted directly with Kevin Bacon in the film "Where the Truth Lies". Colin Firth's Erdős–Bacon number is therefore 1+6 = 7.

Natalie Portman (Actress)

Natalie Portman's Erdős number is 2 by way of a scientific collaboration that leads to a connection with the mathematician Joseph Gills who has an Erdos number of 1. Natalie's Bacon number is 5 through an appearance with Sarah Michelle Gellar (Bacon number 1) in the film "A Powerful Noise Live". So, Natalie Portman's Erdős–Bacon number 2+5=7

Danica McKellar (Actress)

Danica McKellar has an Erdős number of 4 which came about as a result of a co-authorship of a mathematical paper that she wrote while studying at UCLA. She has a Bacon number of 2 through her work with Margaret Easley. Danica McKellar's Erdős–Bacon number is 4+2 = 6.

Carl Sagan (Popular Astronomer & Cosmologist)

Carl Sagan has an approximate Erdős number of 4 by way of a connection to the astronomer Steven J. Ostro. Carl's Bacon Number is 2 giving an Erdős–Bacon number of 6.

Richard Feynman (Nobel Prize Winning Physicist)

Feynman's Erdős number is 3 and with a Bacon number of 3 as a result of an appearance in the film "Anti Clock" with Tony Tang, Richard Feynman's Erdős–Bacon number is 6.

There are likely to be other celebrities with an Erdős–Bacon number and these will be added to the above list in due course.