Willie Mays is a fine guy with a great sense of humour: The Daily Show

1. I was a French aristocrat.
2. I was born in 1757.
3. I was a hero to old and new world.

4. I was commissioned an officer at age 13.
5. I travelled to America and was made a major general at age 19.

Napoleon?

Lafayette

Indeed Cliff.

Known in France as Marquis de Lafayette. His full name was Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette.

I was raised in New York City, just two blocks from "Lafayette Street," Not sure what he did to get the street named after him, but I'd love to know more about him.

Moving right along...

1. I was born in 1927 in Pennsylvania.
2. My parents were both from Czechoslovakia.
3. In Middle school I used to carve airplanes from blocks of wood.

4. In 1945, I served my country by enlisting in the U.S. Army.
5. I was stationed in Germany (after the action was over) and assigned to draw cartoons for the army base newspaper

Charles Schultz?

Nice try Mark, but no... Not Charles.

6. I was never married and never had children, but there was a rumor about me that stated I'd fathered a son out of wedlock.

7. After being discharged, I got a big break when I was offered a job, kind of like an apprentice, to a well known giant in my small industry.

Charles Addams?

Oh, wait--Steranko?

Neither Charlie nor Jim.

8. Almost no one would recognize my face. Some would recognize my name. Literally 95% of people on earth would recognize my best creations.

Steve Ditko?

On the nose Karnak. Steve Ditko it is.

9. My industry is very small, and in the early 1960s I got my big break though while working for arguably the top man in my field.
10. He wanted unusual. I gave him a short skinny teenager. (Spider-Man)
11. In 1966 that skinny kid starred in his own cartoon.
12. I changed jobs a lot. there are only a few companies in my field, but I worked for almost all of them at one time or another,
13. As my character's fame grew, people began asking for interviews. I always refused. I am boring. They don't want me, they want my characters!
14. Most of my characters were limited in terms of their abilities, except one. (Dr. Strange)
15. I lived to see that one brought to the big screen. They did a good job of bringing my surrealistic art to life.
16. Two years ago I passed away. I lived a long life.

Note: While working for DC comics, Steve created and drew "The Creeper." I loved that character and had all six of the original issues. Like most of Steve's characters, The Creeper was stronger than most, but not super strong. He could heal faster than m0st and was more agile, but not a Superman.

LOL, Cliff! You have a knack for picking people I've never heard of.

I'm sorry Arthur, but at least you have heard of Spider-Man.

No problem, Cliff. I enjoy learning things on this thread. Especially when folks post all the clues they had planned, even after a correct guess solves it.

I was born in Iowa in 1914.
My parents soon divorced, I never saw my father again, and after my mother remarried I took my stepfather's last name.
My last name changed again when I adopted a stage name and launched my film acting career.

Carrol O'Connor?