10 Individuals Who Claim to Have Photographic Memories

The existence of photographic memory remains uncertain. To date, only one definitive study has demonstrated that some individuals can recall vast amounts of information word-for-word even after many years. However, many people have asserted they possess eidetic memory (the scientific term). Below are 10 such individuals.

1. NIKOLA TESLA

Nikola Tesla claimed that photographic memory was just one of his mental peculiarities. He could effortlessly memorize entire books, yet he also suffered from sudden, intense flashes of light, occasionally paired with hallucinations. Tesla experienced vivid recollections of his past and could intricately visualize his inventions in remarkable detail before even beginning to build them.

2. TEDDY ROOSEVELT

Teddy Roosevelt had the remarkable ability to recite entire newspaper pages—not just individual articles—as though they were right in front of him. He was also an exceptionally fast reader, reportedly consuming two to three books daily.

3. KIM PEEK

Kim Peek was the inspiration behind Dustin Hoffman's character in the 1988 Oscar-winning film Rain Man. Peek, who passed away in 2009, was believed to have memorized every word of the approximately 9000 books he had read. He could read a page in as little as 12 seconds, with each eye capable of reading independently.

"Kim's story demonstrates the incredible adaptability of the human brain," psychiatrist Darold Treffert explained to The Observer in 2005. "Like many savants, he experienced deficits in one area of his brain but compensated by developing extraordinary abilities in others. This reveals the vast untapped intellectual potential within all of us."

4. ABBIE HOFFMAN

In his 1968 book Revolution for the Hell of It, activist Abbie Hoffman asserted that he could recall intricate details of things after just a brief look.

5. JERRY LUCAS

Jerry Lucas, a legendary basketball player active from 1962 to 1974, was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996. However, it’s his extraordinary memory that now sustains his career. Lucas has authored numerous books on memory techniques, created a memory-enhancement system, and travels nationwide delivering lectures—likely memorized—on the topic.

6. GUILLERMO DEL TORO

Acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, known for works like Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy, and Pacific Rim, is rumored to possess a photographic memory. This might explain the visually captivating nature of his films.

7. FERDINAND MARCOS

The former Philippine president was believed to have a photographic memory, a trait that would have been useful for keeping track of his wife Imelda's extensive shoe collection.

8. SERGEI RACHMANINOFF

The renowned composer may have possessed a form of photographic memory, enabling him to memorize sheet music with incredible speed. His exceptional musical ear further enhanced this ability. Russian composer Alexander Siloti would assign him complex and challenging pieces, and Rachmaninoff (sometimes spelled Rachmaninov) would masterfully commit them to memory within a day or two.

9. MR. T

Yes, that Mr. T. Laurence Tureaud, the man behind the iconic persona, claims he never needed to study in school due to his "photographic memory." He once remarked, "Most of the time I stared out the windows, just daydreaming."

10. ELIZABETH

Not the Queen of England, but Elizabeth, a Harvard student who, in 1970, passed a series of tests that convinced skeptics of the existence of eidetic memory. Scientist Charles Stromeyer III studied her and published his findings in Nature, later marrying Elizabeth (who was never retested). However, in the years since, many have doubted the validity of Stromeyer's research.