Royal Confusion

[Eccentricity]

So, I am applying for PhD programs. I'm currently doing my masters. It's all going well, except that I am stuck with not knowing who best to recommend me for these programs.

I currently have my supervisor, another professor whom I've worked with extensively, and the choice between my undergraduate supervisor and another, more well-known (i.e., kind of like academic celebrity status) professor, whom I've only worked with for a short amount of time. 

The well-known person is happy to recommend me but says that I should choose my undergraduate supervisor to recommend me because he knows my work well. But I had  at least one school say, no, they would like a recommendation from the more well-known person. 

I really don't know what to do. I guess it's a good situation, but now I'm frozen and struggling to decide what is best. For US institutions (I'm applying in three different countries), does the name and status of the recommender matter more, or the amount of time spent working with me?

I'm in a humanities field, by the way.

Edited December 8, 2015 by Eccentricity

[fuzzylogician]

I'd choose the professor who knows you better, because he will be able to write a stronger and more detailed letter than the other professor, famous as he may be. If the schools allow it, you might be able to submit a letter from the famous prof as a third, supplemental letter. 

[Eccentricity]

Ok. Do you think contacting each program is advisable in this instance? For example, I am applying to Notre Dame, and they prefer the more well-known person. But another school prefers the lesser well-known....