A few trans who where famous BEFORE they transitioned,
but they weren't so famous afterward, they're carreer
was not as strong (maybe because they didn't the attention for
being TS and just wanted to be a regular women). Wendy Carlos, the musician is
a prototype for this.
One of the most famous TS, and an early one too (SRS in 1972) is Jan Morris, who
actually was short listed for the Booker prize in 1985!! She was a well known historian
and travel writer before transition and has continued her carreer with success post-transition.
She started taking E shots in the 60's and fought with Charing Cross (familiar isn't it) who
wanted her to divorce her wife to get SRS, instead she went to french surgeon George Burou
The BBC made a profile show of her life.
She accompanied the british UK expedition that
was the first to scale everest in 1953. That news made it around the world with her
byline (under her original name).
She was also way key in relaying information during the suez canal crisis.
She's got a CBE from the Queen in 1999 (not many can say this).
As an historian, she published a seminal work, Pax Britannica trilogy, a history of hte
british empire.
Another, that is undoubtably trans (though not sure 100% of TS status) is one
of the Wachovki brothers (of Matrix fame). I don't know if that person's a TS
(though I'd bet on hormones...), but transgendered, 100% sure. Considering the Matrix
trilogy did more than 1.5 Billion at the box office worldwide, that's pretty famous :-).
