Christopher Columbus

Listed In: Miscellaneous

Birth Year: 1451

Birthplace: Genoa, Italy

Died: 1506

An Italian explorer, Christopher Columbus, wanted to discover a direct water route from Europe to Asia. In his four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain, however, what he ended up discovering was not Asia, but America. Though he was not the first one to land in America, his historical journey began what eventually turned into Spanish colonization of America.

Marcus Rashford

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1997

Birthplace: Manchester, United Kingdom

Marcus Rashford is a prominent football player for the Manchester United Football Club and England national team. He became the youngest British footballer to score in his debut match for England. He uses his popularity to fight against issues like child food poverty and homelessness in the United Kingdom. He is often praised for his political activism.

Michael Landon

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1936

Birthplace: Forest Hills, New York, United States

Died: 1991

One of the most popular actors of his generation, Michael Landon appeared on the cover of TV Guide on 22 occasions, the most for an actor and second only to Lucille Ball. Also a singer and director, Landon had a major impact on the film industry, so much so that a community building was named after him following his demise.

Rob Schneider

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1963

Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States

A multifaceted personality, Rob Schneider is an actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director. Beginning his career with the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, he proceeded to act in films, first appearing in supporting roles and then graduating to starring roles. He is an outspoken critic of childhood vaccinations. His daughter, Elle King, is a popular musician.

Peter Jackson

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1961

Birthplace: Pukerua Bay, New Zealand

New Zealand director/producer Peter Jackson is best known for his three-time Academy Award-winning work in The Return of the King, the third part of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The third-highest-grossing director ever, he is also the man behind The Hobbit trilogy and the 2005 film King Kong. 

Piper Perabo

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1976

Birthplace: Dallas, Texas, United States

Piper Perabo is an American actress who garnered wide acclaim for her portrayal of Violet Sanford in the musical comedy-drama film Coyote Ugly. Since then, Perabo has been an important actress in both film and TV industry. Also known for her political activism, Perabo was arrested twice for participating in protests. She also advocates for women empowerment and LGBT rights.

Johannes Vermeer

Listed In: Artists & Painters

Birth Year: 1632

Birthplace: Delft, Netherlands

Died: 1675

Johannes Vermeer was a Dutch painter renowned for his use of light in paintings. Although he did not achieve fame during his lifetime, Vermeer's works gained popularity in the 19th century. Today, Vermeer is often counted among the greatest painters of the Dutch Golden Age. Over the years, Vermeer's work has inspired artists like Wilhelm Hammershoi and Thomas Wilmer Dewing.

Vanilla Ice

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1967

Birthplace: South Dallas, Dallas, Texas, United States

Vanilla Ice shot to fame after his iconic 1990s’ single Ice Ice Baby became the first hip-hop track to top the Billboard Charts. He had ventured into motocross racing and jet skiing, and also survived a suicide attempt. He was also part of the reality show The Vanilla Ice Project.

Michael Collins

Listed In: Miscellaneous

Birth Year: 1930

Birthplace: Rome, Kingdom of Italy

Died: 2021

Michael Collins is an American astronaut who became the fourth person to perform a spacewalk. He is also the second person to orbit the Moon alone. Collins is best known for flying the Apollo 11 command module Columbia while Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon. In 1969, Michael Collins was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

David Ogden Stiers

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1942

Birthplace: Peoria, Illinois, USA

Died: 2018

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

John Keats

Listed In: Writers

Birth Year: 1795

Birthplace: Moorgate, London, England

Died: 1821

John Keats was one of the leading 19th-century Romantic poets, along with Byron and Shelley, known for his natural imagery and emotions in his poems. Some of his best-known works are Ode on a Grecian Urn, To Autumn, and Ode to a Nightingale. He died of tuberculosis at age 25.

Dermot Mulroney

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1963

Birthplace: Alexandria, Virginia, United States

Dermot Mulroney is an American actor best known for his work in the Western, romantic comedy, and drama films. Also an acclaimed cellist, Mulroney has played the cello in movies like Star Trek Into Darkness and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. Also known for his looks, he was named in People magazine's Sexiest Men of the Year list in 2005.

Zaha Hadid

Listed In: Architects

Birth Year: 1950

Birthplace: Baghdad

Died: 2016

Baghdad-born British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid is best remembered for her revolutionary and modern architectural designs, that involved abstraction and relied on curves. She won the Stirling Prize and was the first woman to receive the Pritzker Prize. She designed the Guangzhou Opera House and Rome's MAXXI Museum, among other marvels.

Letitia Wright

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1993

Birthplace: Georgetown, Guyana

Dan Rather

Listed In: Media Personalities

Birth Year: 1931

Birthplace: Wharton, Texas, United States

Dan Rather shot to fame when he saved thousands of people during Hurricane Carla through the first radar weather report. Subsequently, he had a 24-year stint on CBS Evening News. He was fired following the Killian documents controversy and then joined AXS TV, hosting shows such as Dan Rather Reports. 

Danielle Rose Russell

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1999

Birthplace: Pequannock Township, New Jersey, United States

Danielle Rose Russell is an American actress known for portraying supporting roles in movies like A Walk Among the Tombstones and Pandemic. After starting her career as a model, Russell pursued regional theater before establishing herself as a film and TV actress. In 2019, she was nominated for a Teen Choice Award for her performance in the TV series, Legacies.

Marco van Basten

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1964

Birthplace: Utrecht, Netherlands

Dutch footballer Marco van Basten is known for his successful stints at Ajax and Milan and won the Champions League thrice with the latter. However, an ankle injury cut his career short. The three-time Ballon d'Or winner later took over as the manager of Ajax and the Dutch national team.

Brian Doyle-Murray

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1945

Birthplace: Evanston, Illinois, United States

Brian Doyle-Murray, older brother of comedian Bill Murray, is best known for his roles in movies such as Caddyshack, Ghostbusters II, and Scrooged. He has voiced The Flying Dutchman in SpongeBob SquarePants has also been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on Saturday Night Live.

Ansu Fati

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 2002

Birthplace: Bissau, Guinea-Bissau

Height: 5'10" (178 cm)

Jane Pauley

Listed In: Media Personalities

Birth Year: 1950

Birthplace: Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

Height: 5'4" (163 cm)

Nadine Lustre

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1993

Birthplace: Quezon City, Philippines

Nadine Lustre is a Filipina actress, music video director, and singer best known for her portrayal of Eya Rodriguez in the 2014 romantic comedy film, Diary ng Panget. One of the most decorated Filipina celebrities, Lustre has won several prestigious awards, such as the Young Critics Circle award, Asian Academy Creative Award, Myx Music Awards, and Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award.

Nick Saban

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1951

Birthplace: Fairmont, West Virginia

Nick Saban is an American football coach who is currently serving as the head coach for the University of Alabama. He has also served as the head coach for the NFL team Miami Dolphins. Widely regarded as the greatest coach in the history of college football Saban was made an inductee of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

Vanessa Marano

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1992

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

Height: 5'5" (165 cm)

Chiang Kai-shek

Listed In: Leaders

Birth Year: 1887

Birthplace: Xikou

Died: 1975

Chiang Kai-shek was a Chinese revolutionary who led the Republic of China between 1928 and 1975, first in mainland China until 1949 and later on in Taiwan until his death. He is credited with successfully leading the Northern Expedition against the Beiyang government, achieving Chinese unification. He was involved in a civil war with Communist Party of China, which he lost in 1949 and retreated to Taiwan.

Katsushika Hokusai

Listed In: Artists & Painters

Birth Year: 1760

Birthplace: Edo, Tokyo, Japan

Died: 1849

Katsushika Hokusai was a Japanese printmaker, ukiyo-e painter, and artist of the Edo period. He is best known as the creator of the monumental Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, a series of landscape prints, which includes the iconic print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa. He is credited with transforming the ukiyo-e art form to include a much broader style of art.

Randy Jackson

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1961

Birthplace: Gary, Indiana, United States

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

Eddie Kaye Thomas

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1980

Birthplace: Staten Island, New York, United States

Eddie Kaye Thomas is an American actor best known for playing Paul Finch in the popular comedy film series, American Pie. His performance in the first film of the series earned him a Young Hollywood Award nomination in 2000. After starting his stage acting career at the age of seven, Thomas went on to establish himself in the film and TV industry.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Listed In: Leaders

Birth Year: 1875

Birthplace: Nadiad, Gujarat, India

Died: 1950

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was an Indian politician who played an influential role in the Indian independence movement. Dubbed the Iron Man of India and Unifier of India, Sardar Patel played an important role in integrating various princely states into a united, independent nation. In 2018, the world's tallest statue called the Statue of Unity was dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Barbara Bel Geddes

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1922

Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

Died: 2005

Height: 5'3" (160 cm)

Brian Piccolo

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1943

Birthplace: Pittsfield, Massachusetts, United States

Died: 1970

Height: 6'0" (183 cm)

Deidre Hall

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1947

Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Height: 5'7" (170 cm)

Stephen Rea

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1946

Birthplace: Belfast, Northern Ireland

Stephen Rea is best known for his Academy Award-nominated role of Fergus in The Crying Game. He has also appeared in films such as V for Vendetta and Interview with the Vampire. He won a BAFTA for The Honourable Woman and was nominated for one for The Shadow Line.

Bud Spencer

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1929

Birthplace: Naples, Italy

Died: 2016

Italian actor Carlo Pedersoli, or Bud Spencer, gained fame with his Spaghetti Western and action-comedy films, teaming up with Terence Hill. Bud was also a skilled water polo player and an Olympic swimmer who specialized in 100-meter freestyle. He was a certified pilot and an avid philanthropist, too. 

Dale Evans

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1912

Birthplace: Uvalde, Texas, United States

Died: 2001

Height: 5'4" (163 cm)

Frank Iero

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1981

Birthplace: Belleville, New Jersey, United States

Height: 5'6" (168 cm)

Johnny Whitworth

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1975

Birthplace: Charleston, South Carolina, United States

Height: 5'10" (178 cm)

Ken Wahl

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1957

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Height: 6'0" (183 cm)

Johnny Marr

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1963

Birthplace: Manchester, England

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

Samaire Armstrong

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1980

Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan

Height: 5'5" (165 cm)

Linn Berggren

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1970

Birthplace: Gothenburg, Sweden

A founding member of the the pop band Ace is Base, Linn Berggren as a child wanted to sing, but did not want to become a singer. Yet, she went on to become the principal lead vocalist for the majority of their singles and was generally the focus in the video. She quit her stellar career suddenly in 2007 to lead a quiet life.

Itzan Escamilla

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1997

Birthplace: Madrid, Spain

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

Willow Smith

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 2000

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

The daughter of popular American actors, Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith, Willow Smith has established herself as a singer-songwriter and rapper. Mentored by rapper Jay-Z, Smith became the youngest artist to be signed to the former's label Roc Nation in 2010. In 2019, she came out as bisexual and expressed her desire to be in a polyamorous relationship.

Adam Schlesinger

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1967

Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States

Died: 2020

Holly Taylor

Listed In: Dancers

Birth Year: 1997

Birthplace: Middleton, Nova Scotia, Canada

Height: 5'2" (157 cm)

Debbie McGee

Listed In: Media Personalities

Birth Year: 1958

Birthplace: Surrey, England

Debbie McGee is an English radio, television, and stage performer. She is best known as the widow of magician Paul Daniels, with whom she often appeared on stage. A former ballet dancer, Debbie McGee worked as an artistic director for three years in her own ballet company. She then went on to achieve popularity as a TV and radio personality.  

Annabella Lwin

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1966

Birthplace: Rangoon, Burma

Annabella Lwin is an English-Burmese record producer and singer-songwriter. She is known for her association with the new wave band Bow Wow Wow, where she performs as the lead singer. Also known for her humanitarian efforts, Lwin was a featured vocalist during a fundraising concert, which was intended to help the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

Mikkey Dee

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1963

Birthplace: Gothenburg, Sweden

Jane Wymark

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1952

Birthplace: Paddington, London, England

Denis Irwin

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1965

Birthplace: Cork, Ireland

Known for his 12-year stint with Manchester United, Irish footballer Denis Irwin established himself as a dependable left-back, winning many championships with the club, such as the Premier League and the FA Cup. Post-retirement, he launched a successful media career as a sports presenter on channels such as MUTV.

Ethel Waters

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1896

Birthplace: Chester County

Died: 1977