Famous People Born Today

James Stewart

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1908

Birthplace: Indiana, Pennsylvania, United States

Died: 1997

Best known for his everyman screen persona, James Stewart was ranked third in the greatest American male actors list published by the American Film Institute (AFI) in 1999. During his 55-year acting career, he displayed strong morality both on and off the screen, as a result of which he epitomized the ideal American man of the 20th century.

Cherilyn Sarkisian

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1946

Birthplace: El Centro, California, United States

The “Goddess of Pop” Cher began her career with the folk-rock duo Sonny & Cher. She also appeared on Broadway and delivered an Oscar-winning performance in the film Moonstruck. Her track Believe was the biggest-selling single by a female artist in the U.K. and popularized the auto-tune, or "Cher effect.”

Iker Casillas

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1981

Birthplace: Madrid, Spain

Iker Casillas is a Spanish former footballer who won the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Counted among the greatest goalkeepers in the history of the sport, Casillas was renowned for his spectacular saves and athleticism. He was named the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper on a record five occasions. Also a philanthropist, Casillas owns a charitable foundation in Spain.

Timothy Olyphant

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1968

Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Timothy Olyphant became known to a wider audience when he portrayed the character of a righteous, brooding Sheriff in the HBO series Deadwood, which ran from 2004 to 2006. He later played the same role in the 2019 film Deadwood: The Movie. He received critical acclaim for playing the role of a deputy US Marshall in the television series Justified.

Joe Cocker

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1944

Birthplace: Crookes, Sheffield, United Kingdom

Died: 2014

Grammy-winning artist Joe Cocker is best remembered for his tracks You Are So Beautiful and Up Where We Belong. His chartbusting version of the Beatles song With a Little Help from My Friends was the theme song of the series The Wonder Years. He also received an OBE.

Rachel Platten

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1981

Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

Height: 5'5" (165 cm)

Carlos Hathcock

Listed In: Miscellaneous

Birth Year: 1942

Birthplace: Little Rock, Arkansas

Died: 1999

Carlos Hathcock was a U.S. Marine sniper who had killed at least 93 enemy personnel in the Vietnam War. He inspired the 1993 movie Sniper. His signature style of attaching a feather to his bush hat earned him the name “White Feather.” He later had a rifle named after him.

Toussaint Louverture

Listed In: Leaders

Birth Year: 1743

Birthplace: Saint-Dominigue (present day Haiti)

Died: 1803

Haitian general,  Toussaint Louverture, was the most prominent leader of the Haitian Revolution. A revolutionary leader, he was devoted to the cause of Haitian independence and fought hard until he was killed by the French in a treacherous manner. The revolution continued after his death, leading to Haiti’s independence. He is now known as the Father of Haiti.

Petr Čech

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1982

Birthplace: Pilsen, Czechia

Petr Čech is a Czech retired football player who is currently serving as a performance and technical advisor for the popular English club Chelsea. During his playing career, Čech played as a goalkeeper and is often counted among the greatest goalkeepers of all time. Petr Čech is also considered the greatest goalkeeper in the history of the Premier League.

José Mujica

Listed In: Leaders

Birth Year: 1935

Birthplace: Montevideo, Uruguay

Died: 2025

José Mujica is an Uruguayan retired politician. From 2010 to 2015, Mujica served as the president of Uruguay. A well-known philanthropist, Mujica won the hearts of many for his donation of 90 percent of his monthly salary to charities. Due to his generosity and austere lifestyle, José Mujica has often been referred to as the world's humblest head of state.

Busta Rhymes

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1972

Birthplace: East Flatbush, New York, United States

Height: 6'1" (185 cm)

Matt Czuchry

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1977

Birthplace: Manchester, New Hampshire, United States

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

Tony Goldwyn

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1960

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

Tony Goldwyn is an American actor, filmmaker, and singer. Also an activist, Goldwyn served as the president of a nonprofit group called the Creative Coalition. He also serves as an ambassador for a nonprofit legal organization called the Innocence Project, which aims at reforming the criminal justice system.

John Stuart Mill

Listed In: Intellectuals & Academics

Birth Year: 1806

Birthplace: Pentonville, London, England

Died: 1873

Nineteenth-century philosopher John Stuart Mill is best remembered for his work On Liberty, which spoke of personal freedom and "the harm principle.” His The Subjection of Women was one of the first works written by a male author that promoted women's rights. He supported Jeremy Bentham's ethical utilitarianism.

Tony Stewart

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1971

Birthplace: Columbus, Indiana, United States

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

Bronson Pinchot

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1959

Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States

Bronson Pinchot is best known for his Emmy-nominated performance as Balki Bartokomous in the sitcom Perfect Strangers. Fans also loved him as Serge in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise. He has also hosted his own reality show, The Bronson Pinchot Project, and appeared in The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. 

Moshe Dayan

Listed In: Leaders

Birth Year: 1915

Birthplace: Degania Alef, Israel

Died: 1981

Born to Ukrainian Jewish immigrants, military leader/politician Moshe Dayan, grew up to be an revered for his exploits against Israel’s Arab neighbors. His invasion of the Sinai peninsula is etched in his memoir, Diary of the Sinai Campaign. Following his death, his eye patch was sold on eBay for US$75,000.

Honoré de Balzac

Listed In: Writers

Birth Year: 1799

Birthplace: Tours, France

Died: 1850

Honoré de Balzac was a French playwright and novelist. Since his works gave a detailed, unfiltered representation of society, Honoré de Balzac is generally considered one of the founders of realism and an important figure in European literature. Renowned for creating multi-faceted characters, Balzac influenced several popular writers like Charles John Huffam Dickens, Émile Zola, Henry James, and Gustave Flaubert.

Dietrich Mateschitz

Listed In: Business People

Birth Year: 1944

Birthplace: Sankt Marein im Mürztal, Austria

Self-made business magnate and Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz took 10 years to complete his marketing degree. He was also one of the pioneers of content marketing, and rather than depending on paid ad agencies, marketed his brand through numerous media tools, such as the Red Bulletin magazine.

Chris Froome

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1985

Birthplace: Nairobi, Kenya

Chris Froome is an English professional road racing cyclist best known for winning two bronze medals in the Olympic Games so far; he won the medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. In 2017, Froome won a bronze medal at the UCI Road World Championships in Bergen, Norway. Froome has won many prestigious awards, such as the Vélo d'Or.

Dolley Madison

Listed In: Miscellaneous

Birth Year: 1768

Birthplace: Guilford County

Died: 1849

Mindy Cohn

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1966

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California

Height: 5'1" (155 cm)

Louis Theroux

Listed In: Media Personalities

Birth Year: 1970

Birthplace: Singapore

Renowned British-American documentary filmmaker, Louis Theroux began his career as a journalist with Metro Silicon Valley, Spy magazine and TV Nation series. He gained recognition with his documentary series When Louis Met..., and Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends. The two time BAFTA Award winner has also received appreciation for his documentaries The Most Hated Family in America and My Scientology Movie.

Jane Wiedlin

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1958

Birthplace: Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, United States

Jane Wiedlin is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actress. She achieved popularity as the backing vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the popular band The Go-Go's. Jane Wiedlin is also an ardent animal rights activist; she works closely with organizations, such as PETA. An openly bisexual musician, Jane Wiedlin serves as an inspiration to the LGBT community.

Michaela McManus

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1983

Birthplace: Warwick, Rhode Island, United States

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

Ted Allen

Listed In: Media Personalities

Birth Year: 1965

Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio, United States

Height: 6'1" (185 cm)

Sierra Boggess

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1982

Birthplace: Denver, Colorado, USA

Height: 5'5" (165 cm)

Bud Grant

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1927

Birthplace: Superior, Wisconsin, United States

Bud Grant is known for his 18-year stint as the Minnesota Vikings head coach. He has 168 NFL wins, making him one of the most successful NFL coaches. He is also 4-time Grey Cup champion. Post-retirement, he focused on bringing about environmental reforms, such as the conservation of wetlands.

Yon González

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1986

Birthplace: Bergara, Spain

Yon González is a Spanish actor best known for his portrayal of Iván Noiret León in the popular Spanish teen drama thriller TV series, El Internado (The Boarding School). In 2010, he was honored at the Association of Latin Entertainment Critics Awards with the Best New Actor award for his performance in the series.

Craig Melvin

Listed In: Media Personalities

Birth Year: 1979

Birthplace: Colombia, South Carolina

Emmy-winning broadcast journalist and anchor Craig Melvin is known for his stint with NBC News and MSNBC. Some of his most popular shows are Today and Today Third Hour. He also has a huge fan base on Instagram. He has also received the Associated Press award for his journalism.

Dan Abrams

Listed In: Business People

Birth Year: 1966

Birthplace: Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.

David Hedison

Listed In: Miscellaneous

Birth Year: 1927

Birthplace: Providence, Rhode Island, USA

Height: 6'1" (185 cm)

Constance Towers

Listed In: Miscellaneous

Birth Year: 1933

Birthplace: Whitefish, Montana, United States

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

Anthony Zerbe

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1936

Birthplace: Long Beach, California, USA

Height: 5'10" (178 cm)

Marshon Lattimore

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1996

Birthplace: leveland, Ohio, United States

Height: 6'0" (183 cm)

George Gobel

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1919

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Died: 1991

Jessica Raine

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1982

Birthplace: Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom

Jessica Raine is best known as Jenny Lee from the series Call the Midwife. She has also appeared as real-life producer Verity Lambert in the TV film An Adventure in Space and Time, earning a Critics' Choice Television Award nomination. She appeared as Isabel of Gloucester in Robin Hood.

Jon Pardi

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1985

Birthplace: Dixon, California, United States

Sir Henry Percy

Listed In: Leaders

Birth Year: 1364

Birthplace: Warkworth, United Kingdom

Died: 1403

Roger Milla

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1952

Birthplace: Yaoundé, Cameroon

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

Stan Mikita

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1940

Birthplace: Sokolče, Vlachy, Slovakia

Died: 2018

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

Alex Hogh Andersen

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1994

Birthplace: Slagelse, Denmark

Alex Høgh Andersen is a Danish actor, photographer, and model. He is best known for his portrayal of Ivar the Boneless in the popular television series Vikings. A multi-talented personality, Alex Høgh Andersen spends his time dancing, singing, fencing, and learning stunts when he is not acting.

Goh Chok Tong

Listed In: Leaders

Birth Year: 1941

Birthplace: Singapore

Goh Chok Tong is a Singaporean former politician best known for his service as the second Prime Minister of Singapore from 28 November 1990 to 12 August 2004. An important politician, Goh also served as the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Defence, Minister for Health, and Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore during his illustrious career.

Franz Jägerstätter

Listed In: Leaders

Birth Year: 1907

Birthplace: Sankt Radegund, Austria

Died: 1943

Franz Jägerstätter was an Austrian conscientious objector who served during the Second World War. He opposed the Nazis and refused to fight for Nazi Germany during the war. He was executed for his stance against Nazi Germany and was later declared a martyr by the Catholic Church.

Rick Edwards

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1979

Birthplace: Enfield, London, England

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

Dieter Rams

Listed In: Miscellaneous

Birth Year: 1932

Birthplace: Wiesbaden, Germany

German industrial designer and educator Dieter Rams became one of the first designers to focus on environment-friendly design. He headed design at Braun and designed a furniture collection for Vitsœ. Associated with the functionalist school of design, he believed in "Less, but Better," which was also the name of his 1995 book.

Władysław Sikorski

Listed In: Leaders

Birth Year: 1881

Birthplace: Tuszów Narodowy

Died: 1943

Władysław Sikorski was a Polish political and military leader. He played important roles in both the First and Second World War. A supporter of Polish independence prior to the war, Sikorski fought in the Polish Legions during World War I. He was also an influential figure in the newly created Polish Army that took part in the Polish–Soviet War.

David Wells

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1963

Birthplace: Torrance, California, United States

Patrick Ewing Jr.

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1984

Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Height: 6'8" (203 cm)

Bobby Murcer

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1946

Birthplace: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States

Died: 2008

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)