From 10-Year-Old to Muppet to President-Elect, NYSE Bell-Ringers Range From Famous to Obscure

Miss Piggy, with New York Stock Exchange Chief of Staff John Tuttle, rings the NYSE opening bell to highlight the season premier of Disney's "The Muppets" television show, on Feb. 1, 2016. Richard Drew/AP Photo

The first guest invited to ring the bell to open trading at the New York Stock Exchange in 1956 wasn’t a company executive, a politician or a celebrity. It was a 10-year-old boy, Leonard Ross, who received the honor by winning a television quiz show.

Since then, business titans, political giants and global film stars have all been among those ringing the opening bell at the NYSE. Ronald Reagan rang the bell as president in 1985. Billionaire businessman and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. have also rung the bell. The list even includes famous Muppets: Miss Piggy was once a bell ringer.