25 Characters

An amazing English writer. He excels at tales regarding subjects like time travel, aliens and invisibility. He was awarded with a blue plaque at his residence at Regent's Park twenty years after his death. 1 1 5 (3)
This post-impressionist painter, who also had a side job as a toll and tax collector, had a banquet organized in his honor by his very well-known younger peer. 5 8 (1)
He believed the conflict of the bourgeoisie versus the workers will result in communist revolution. Workers being exploited by their bosses reject the system they work under. They turn resentful, desiring to seize control of production, while the bourgeoisie would quell their uprising unsuccessfully. 4 4 (2)
A French philosopher, as well as journalist, he was given the Nobel Prize in Literature. His work was split into three cycles, the first of which aims to warn humanity of the consequences of totalitarianism. Some (not himself) think of him as an existentialist. 6 5 (6)
He was a controversial leader of the Mongol Empire who unified their tribes. His army conquered the Qara Khitai, Khwarazmian, Transoxania and Khorasan regions. 7 4 (6)
A jovial comedian and filmmaker from Piqua, Kansas, he was recognized by fans for his deadpan expression. 6 6 (3)
A Marxist-Leninist leader of the Workers' Party of Vietnam, he organized the August Revolution against the Japanese in 1945, and consequently achieved Vietnamese independence. 2 3 4 (6)
He was an author and zesty raconteur, and became a frequent guest on a show hosted by Jack Paar. He was also an ex-husband to three lovers. 9 4 (11)
The killer of Abraham Lincoln, he got injured while fleeing. He got cornered in a barn and eventually took a fatal bullet to the neck, getting paralyzed before he died. After death, he received a mixed reception - hero or villain, depending on who you query. 4 6 5 (10)
A felon responsible for the rape of Johnson and Meza, a gangster, robber and kidnapper, he was finally put through the required death penalty after multiple jail stints, where he was known to be vexatious. 5 8 (9)
She was a half-Jewish singer and film actress. She quickly gained experience in a burlesque revue, then impressed Ziegfeld sufficiently that he hired her. 5 5 (8)
A Hindu mystic who got acquainted with Islam and Christianity, he experienced various dazzling spiritual visions once he turned six. He began his spiritual journey at the Dakshineswar Kali Temple. 11 (10)
The Entertainment Weekly magazine along with the American Film Institute rate him as a top American male movie star. He was known for his major roles as well as exciting performances in “The African Queen” together with “The Barefoot Contessa”. 8 6 (11)
A classical musician that lived just thirty-five years after being struck by a fatal illness. His birthplace was Salzburg, Austria. He published six quartets named after his friend. 8 7 6 (4)
He was a DJ who was featured on shows such as Jukebox Serenade and Wax Works. He frequently promoted rock and roll for all races, a genre that stemmed from jazz and rhythm and blues. Unfortunately, he faced controversy: a payola scandal. 4 5 (6)
This baritone, songwriter and violinist died at just twenty-six after a friend misfired a gun. The news was subsequently kept from his hospitalized mother due to her poor health status until she died. 4 7 (6)
She was the subject of her son James’ famous artwork - what he calls an “arrangement”, that took dozens of attempts to complete. James was expelled from the army for poor performance and frequent lateness. She eventually moved from the USA to Sussex. 4 7 8 (5)
The inventor of the telephone and other communicative equipment, he had a teaching job where he worked with the deaf and later on explored heredity too. Born in Edinburgh, he eventually became an American citizen. 9 6 4 (3)
An author born in Boston, known for his balloon-hoax, amongst various high quality gothic horror works. Unknown to many, this author had a major part in popularizing cryptograms. 5 5 3 (4)
He was a Marx brother together with “Harpo”, “Groucho”, “Gummo” and “Zeppo”, acting as a variety of characters. He acquired his first job performing on a piano. He had a strange routine of soaking his fingers in hot water before each performance. 5 4 (1)
He was a Jewish preacher baptized by John the Baptist, and subsequently died by crucifixion. His resurrection is honored on Easter Sunday. Believers reckon he will return on doomsday. 5 6 (7)
The creator of “Time”, “Life”, as well as “Sports Illustrated”, he worked very hard to excel at school. He quit his day job to set up his digital media firm. His first wife was Lila Hotz. 5 4 (8)
He was a Jew, author of the plays “Der Get”, “Yaknez” and subsequently the novel “The Bloody Hoax”. The pseudonym he adopted means “May peace be upon you”. 6 8 (4)
He is the title of Kipling's poem, tortured by British soldiers who were serving their queen….. except in the end, he just took the bullet going for his lord, going from zero to hero. 5 3 (2)
A major independence leader from Congo who faced execution after a quick removal from power. Criticized by the Belgian for being anti-white, he received recognition for being a national hero only after death. 7 7 (7)

Hints

I am missing an ordering! After that, for ordering, you may have noticed all the clue answers are famous people, even though that has no affect on the extracted letter. Why?
Try googling a subset of these people together (include some of the lesser-known/quirky ones) to help find your ordering.