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Harvey Ball
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<p>Harvey Ross Ball (July 10, 1921 – April 12, 2001) was an American commercial artist. He is recognized as the inventor of the popular <a href="/facts/Smiley/4aS92RNw">smiley face</a> graphic picture, which became an enduring and notable international icon. He never applied for a <a href="/facts/Trademark/B23H8IS0">trademark</a> for the iconic smiley image and only earned $45 for his efforts. Ball later founded the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation in 1999, a non-profit <a href="/facts/Charitable_trust/7wNPIBHV">charitable trust</a> that supports children's causes. </p>