Category: Famous Birthdays

1794 – William Carleton, Irish writer and novelist (Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry), born in Clogher, County Tyrone, Ireland (d. 1869)
1915 – Chick Harbert, American golfer (PGA C’ship 1954), born in Dayton, Ohio (d. 1992)
1925 – Frank Isola, American jazz drummer (Stan Getz; Gerry Mulligan; Mose Allison), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2004)
1928 – Roy Face, American baseball relief pitcher (6 × MLB All-Star; World Series, 1960 – Pittsburgh Pirates), born in Stephentown, New York (d. 2026)
1940 – Barbara Ellis, American pop vocalist (Fleetwoods – “Mr. Blue”; “Come Softly To Me”), born in Olympia, Washington
1947 – Vladimir Kuzyutkin, Russian volleyball coach (Russia Women – World Cup gold 2010; Bulgaria Women), born in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia (d. 2022)
1951 – Gordon Brown, British Labour Prime Minister (2007–10), born in Giffnock, Scotland
1956 – Charlie Adler, American voice actor (Tiny Toon Adventures), born in Paterson, New Jersey
1959 – Scott Brayton, American auto racer (4 x top 10 finishes Indianapolis 500; 2 x pole), born in Coldwater, Michigan (d. 1996)
1969 – Jason Blum, American producer, founder and CEO of Blumhouse Productions (Whiplash, The Reader, Split), born in Los Angeles, California

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1866 – Mary Anderson, American real estate developer and inventor of the first effective windshield wipers, born in Greene County, Alabama (d. 1953)
1921 – Claude Pascal, French composer, educator (Paris Conservatoire, 1952-87), and music critic (Le Figaro, 1969-79), born in Paris, France (d. 2017)
1936 – Bob Engemann, American pop baritone singer (The Lettermen, 1959-67 – “When I Fall in Love”, “Goin’ Out of My Head”), born in Highland Park, Michigan (d. 2013)
1942 – Ken Kramer [Kenneth Bentley Kramer], former American Republican member of the House of Representatives, born in Chicago, Illinois
1947 – Ferdousi Priyabhashini, Bangladeshi sculptor (Independence Day Award-2010), born in Khulna District, British India (d. 2018)
1949 – Danielle Bunton Berry [Dan Bunten], American software developer (M.U.L.E), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 1998)
1953 – Bill Kirchenbauer, American actor and comedian (Coach-Just the 10 of Us), born in Salzburg, Austria
1957 – Falco [Johann “Hans” Hölzel], Austrian rock vocalist (“Rock Me Amadeus”), born in Vienna, Austria
1959 – Roger Goodell, American NFL Commissioner, born in Jamestown, New York
1973 – Terrence Rencher, American NBA guard (Phoenix Suns), born in The Bronx, New York

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1201 – Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, Persian philosopher, architect and mathematician (Tadhkirah fi ʿilm al-hay), born in Ṭūs, Khorāsān (d. 1274)
1530 – Uesugi Kenshin, Japanese samurai and warlord known as the “Dragon of Echigo”, born in Echigo Province, Japan (d. 1578)
1831 – Rebecca Lee Crumpler, American physician and medical writer (first African American woman to receive a medical degree), born in Delaware (d. 1895)
1853 – August Belmont Jr., American financier (construction of New York subway, NY Jockey Club), born in Manhattan, New York (d. 1924)
1916 – Betty Gathergood, British curator (Dr. Johnson’s House), born in the United States (d. 1996)
1926 – Len Ford, American AAFC and NFL two-way end, 1948-58 (Cleveland Browns, and 2 other teams; 3 x NFL Champion, 4 X Pro Bowl), born in Washington D.C. (d. 1972)
1927 – Fazal Mahmood, Pakistan cricket fast bowler (34 Tests, 139 wickets), born in Lahore, Pakistan (d. 2005)
1940 – Fabrizio de André, Italian singer-songwriter (Storia di un impiegato), born in Genoa, Italy (d. 1999)
1963 – Rob Andrew, English rugby player, born in Richmond, United Kingdom
1992 – Jacqueline Toboni, American actress (Grimm), born in San Francisco, California

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1863 – Fyodor Sologub, Russian Symbolist novelist, poet and translator, born in St. Petersburg, Russia (d. 1927)
1864 – (Andrew) “Banjo” Paterson, Australian journalist, poet (Clancy of the Overflow), and lyricist (“Waltzing Matilda”), born near Orange, New South Wales, Australia (d. 1941)
1904 – Luis A. Ferré, Puerto Rican industrialist and politician (Governor of Puerto Rico, 1969-73), born in Ponce, Puerto Rico (d. 2003)
1929 – Dame Patricia Routledge, British stage and screen actress and singer (Keeping Up Appearances; Talking Heads: A Lady of Letters), born in Higher Tranmere, England (d. 2025)
1948 – Rick Majerus, American college basketball coach (5 × WAC Coach of the Year; Uni of Utah), born in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin (d. 2012)
1969 – Joel Steed, American NFL nose tackle (Pittsburgh Steelers), born in Frankfurt, Germany
1971 – Martyn Bennett [-Knight], Canadian-Scottish celtic-fusion piper, pianist, and composer, born in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador (d. 2005)
1975 – Václav “Vinny” Prospal, Czech NHL forward (Team Czech Olympic gold 1998, Philadelphia Flyers, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning), born in České Budějovice, Czechoslovakia
1979 – Josh Willingham, American MLB baseball outfielder, 2004-14 (Florida Marlins, and 4 other teams), born in Florence, Alabama
1982 – Brian Bruney, American baseball player, born in Astoria, Oregon

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1921 – Vera-Ellen [Westmeier Rohe], American actress and dancer (White Christmas; Big Leaguer; On the Town), born in Norwood, Ohio (d. 1981)
1922 – Paul van ‘t Veer, Dutch journalist and writer (Het Vrije Volk), born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1979)
1926 – John Schlesinger, English stage and Academy Award-winning film director (Midnight Cowboy; Darling), born in London, England (d. 2003)
1926 – David Austin, English rose breeder (Austin roses), born in Albrighton, England (d. 2018)
1942 – Bob Hammond AM, Australian rules key defender (AFL Hall of Fame; North Adelaide; SA) and coach (Sydney Swans 1984), born in Perth, Australia (d. 2020)
1948 – Séamus Brennan, Irish Fianna Fáil politician and Minister, born in Salthill, Galway, Ireland (d. 2008)
1953 – André St. Laurent, Canadian NHL hockey forward, 1973-90 (New York Islanders, Detroit Red Wings, and 2 other teams), born in Rouyn, Quebec
1962 – Tony Kiley, British rock drummer (Blow Monkeys – “Wicked Ways”), born in England
1964 – Ching-Wan [Sean] Lau, Hong Kong actor (Life Without Principle), born in Hong Kong
1974 – Mahershala Ali [Mahershalalhashbaz George], American actor (Moonlight, Green Book), born in Oakland, California

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1471 – Piero di Lorenzo de’ Medici [Piero the Unfortunate], Italian ruler of Florence (1492-94), born in Florence, Republic of Florence (d. 1503)
1885 – Richard Würz, German composer, and music critic, born in Munich, Germany (d. 1965)
1890 – Semyon Bogatyrev, Russian and Soviet musicologist and composer (completed a symphony abandoned by Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky), born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Russian Empire (d. 1960)
1899 – Georges Auric, French composer (one of Les Six), born in Lodève, Hérault, France (d. 1983)
1914 – (Thomas) Hale Boggs, American politician (US Representative from Louisiana, 1947-73), born in Long Beach, Mississippi (d. 1972)
1922 – John B. Anderson, American politician and 1980 Republican presidential candidate, born in Rockford, Illinois (d. 2017)
1939 – Ole Ellefsæter, Norwegian cross-country skier (Olympic gold 50km and 4×10km relay 1968; World C’ship gold 4×10km relay 1966), born in Furnes, Norway (d. 2022)
1960 – Jock Hobbs, New Zealand rugby union flanker and captain (21 Tests; Canterbury RU; Chairman NZRFU 2002-10), born in Christchurch, New Zealand (d. 2012)
1968 – Mieke Suys, Belgian triathlete, born in Ghent, Belgium
1980 – Benedict Sheehan, American composer, and choral director (Saint Tikhon Choir), born in Franconia, New Hampshire

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1881 – Otto Selz, German psychologist, born in Munich, Germany (d. 1943)
1882 – Ignaz Friedman, Polish pianist and composer, born in Podgórze, Kraków, Austrian Poland (d. 1948)
1892 – Radola Gajda, Czech military commander and politician, born in Kotor, Austria-Hungary (d. 1948)
1925 – Elliot Lawrence [Broza], American jazz pianist, film score composer (Network), arranger, and orchestra leader (Tony and Emmy Award broadcasts; As The World Turns, 1981-93), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2021)
1932 – Jack Hibbert, British economic statistician (Central Statistical Office, 1960-92, as director, 1985-92), born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England (d. 2005)
1948 – Richard M. Cohen, American three-time Emmy award-winning journalist, TV producer, and author (CBS News and CNN), born in New York City (d. 2024)
1955 – James Eckhouse, American actor (Jim Walsh on Beverly Hills, 90210), born in Chicago, Illinois
1959 – Anny Schilder, Dutch pop singer (BZN, 1976-84 – “Mon Amour”), born in Volendam, Netherlands
1969 – Shana Zadrick, American model (Guess Jeans), born in Grand Junction, Colorado
1987 – Joseph Pichler, American child actor (Beethoven’s 3rd, The Fan), born in Bremerton, Washington (d. 2006)

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1769 – Ivan Krylov, Russian fabulist, born in Moscow, Russia (d. 1844)
1888 – Heintje Davids [Hendrika], Dutch cabaret artist, (Zandvoort by the sea), born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1975)
1913 – Guiseppe Dossetti, Italian politician (drafted Italian constitution) and priest, born in Genoa, Italy (d. 1996)
1914 – George Kleinsinger, American composer (Tubby the Tuba), born in San Bernardino, California (d. 1982)
1915 – Aung San, Burmese general and nationalist politician, born in Natmauk, Myanmar (d. 1947)
1954 – Donnie Moore, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1985 California Angels), born in Lubbock, Texas (d. 1989)
1958 – Marc Fox, British percussionist (Haircut One Hundred – “Nobody’s Fool”), and record producer, born in London, England
1961 – Henry Rollins [Garfield], American musician (Big Ugly Mouth; Talking From the Box), monologuist, and actor, born in Washington, D.C.
1967 – Bas Roorda, Dutch soccer player (FC Groningen, NEC), born in Assen, Netherlands
1981 – Luisão [Ânderson Luís da Silva], Brazilian footballer, born in São Paulo, Brazil

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1865 – Kazimierz Tetmajer, Polish writer and poet (Young Poland), born in Ludźmierz, Galicia (d. 1940)
1910 – Lee Byung Chull, Korean industrialist, founder of Samsung, born in Uiryeong County, Korean Empire (d. 1987)
1925 – Joan Mitchell, American painter and printmaker, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1992)
1939 – John D Hancock, American actor and director (Black Marble, Traxx, Houston Knights), born in Kansas City, Missouri
1945 – Don Wilson, American baseball pitcher (2 x no-hitters 1967, 69; MLB All Star 1971; Houston Astros), born in Monroe, Louisiana (d. 1975)
1948 – Raymond Kurzweil, American inventor and author (Kurzweil reading machine, text-to-speech synthesis), born in New York City
1955 – Daniele Masala, Italian athlete (Olympic gold modern pentathlon individual and team 1976), born in Rome, Italy
1965 – Brett Kavanaugh, American lawyer and US Supreme Court Justice (2018-), born in Washington, D.C.
1977 – Jimmy Conrad, US soccer player, born in Arcadia, California
1982 – Onil Joseph, Dominican baseball player, born in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic

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1764 – Marie-Joseph de Chénier, French poet (Caïus Gracchus), born in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire (d. 1811)
1881 – Arthur Davison, American businessman (co-founder of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 1950)
1901 – (Anton) “Tony” Hulman Jr., American businessman and motorsport entrepreneur (owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 1945-77), born in Terre Haute, Indiana (d. 1977)
1941 – Glenn Randall Jr., American stuntman (Boba Fett in “Return of the Jedi”; The Mask of Zorro; Poltergeist; Planet of the Apes films), birthplace unknown
1953 – Philip Anglim, American actor (The Thorn Birds – “Dane”), born in San Francisco, California
1953 – Neil Henderson, Scottish pop guitarist (Middle Of The Road – “Chirpy, Chirpy, Cheep Cheep”), born in Glasgow, Scotland
1956 – Didier Lockwood, French violinist, born in Calais, France (d. 2018)
1966 – Stephen Gregory, American actor (ChaseBenson in “The Young and the Restless”), born in New York City
1982 – Neil Robertson, Australian snooker player (World C’ship 2010; Masters 2012, 22; UK C’ship 2013, 15, 20), born in Melbourne, Australia
1998 – Margo Hayes, American rock climber (First-ever female to climb at 9a+), born in Boulder, Colorado

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