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representative from Texas's 1st congressional district from 2005 to 2023
Famous Birthdays on August 18
211 people
1305 – 2006
August 18 has seen 211 notable people enter the world across recorded history — from 1305 – 2006. Below are the most significant names born on this date.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
1953 — Louie Gohmert
American captain, lawyer, and politician
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In January 2015, he unsuccessfully challenged John Boehner for Speaker of the House of Representatives
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In November 2021, he announced his candidacy in the 2022 Texas Attorney General election
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He failed to advance to the Republican primary runoff, finishing fourth with 17% of the vote
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is an American attorney, politician, and former judge who was the U.S
Japanese Shōgun (died 1358)
Ashikaga Takauji also known as Minamoto no Takauji was a Japanese samurai, daimyo and the founder and first shōgun of the Ashikaga shogunate. His rule began in 1338, beginning the Muromachi period of Japan, and ended…
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1305
Croatian poet and author (died 1524)
Marko Marulić Splićanin was a Croatian poet, lawyer, judge, and Renaissance humanist. He is the national poet of Croatia. According to George J. Gutsche, Marulić's epic poem Judita "is the first long poem in Croatian",…
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1450
Catholic cardinal (died 1531)
Lorenzo Pucci was an Italian cardinal and bishop from the Florentine Pucci family. His brother Roberto Pucci and his nephew Antonio Pucci also became cardinals.
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1458
Italian composer (died 1543)
Francesco Canova da Milano was an Italian lutenist and composer. He was born in Monza, near Milan, and worked for the papal court for almost all of his career. Francesco was heralded throughout Europe as the foremost…
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1497
6th Earl of Westmorland (died 1601)
Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland was an English nobleman, politician and Roman Catholic rebel leader, who led the Rising of the North against Elizabeth I in 1569. After the failure of the Rising, he fled first…
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1542
Countess Charlotte Flandrina of Nassau was a French abbess. She was the fourth daughter of William the Silent and his third spouse Charlotte of Bourbon.
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1579
granddaughter of Governor John White of the Colony of Roanoke, first child born to English parents in the Americas (date of death unknown)
Virginia Dare was the first English child born in an American English colony.
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1587
Flemish priest and hagiographer (died 1665)
Jean Bolland, SJ was a Flemish Jesuit priest, theologian, and prominent hagiographer.
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1596
English churchman and theologian (died 1660)
Henry Hammond was an English churchman, church historian and theologian, who supported the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.
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1605
Maria Anna of Spain was a Holy Roman Empress and Queen of Germany, Hungary and Bohemia by her marriage to Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor. She acted as regent on several occasions during the absences of her husband,…
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1606
Swedish writer (died 1672)
Agneta Horn was a Swedish writer born to noble parents and a military father. She traveled a great deal throughout Europe in her lifetime as a result of living in a military family and later marrying another soldier.…
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1629
Italian architect and painter (died 1743)
Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena, surname also spelt Galli da Bibiena or Bibbiena, was an Italian Baroque-era architect, designer, and painter.
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1657
English mathematician and theorist (died 1731)
Brook Taylor was an English mathematician and barrister best known for several results in mathematical analysis. Taylor's most famous developments are Taylor's theorem and the Taylor series, essential in the…
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1685
Duke of Bourbon (died 1740)
Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon, was a French nobleman and politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 1723 to 1726. As a member of the reigning House of Bourbon, he was a prince du sang.
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1692
first Peshwa of Maratha Empire (died 1740)
Bajirao I was the 7th Peshwa of the Maratha Empire.
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1700
4th Earl Ferrers, English politician (died 1760)
Laurence Shirley, 4th Earl Ferrers was an English nobleman, notable for being the last peer to be hanged, following his conviction for murdering his steward.
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1720
Italian composer and conductor (died 1825)
Antonio Salieri was an Italian composer and teacher of the classical period. He was born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, and spent his adult life and career as a subject of the Habsburg monarchy.
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1750
1754
American soldier, explorer, and politician (died 1809)
Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer, soldier, politician, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William…
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1774
1st Earl Russell, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (died 1878)
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was a British Whig and Liberal statesman who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1852 and again from 1865 to 1866.
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1792
American lawyer, jurist, and politician, 19th United States Attorney General (died 1881)
Nathan Clifford was an American statesman, diplomat and jurist.
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1803
Australian politician, 1st Premier of South Australia (died 1893)
Boyle Travers Finniss was the first premier of South Australia, serving from 24 October 1856 to 20 August 1857.
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1807
Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna Romanova of Russia was the daughter of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia, and sister of Alexander II. In 1839, she married Maximilian, Duke of Leuchtenberg. She was an art collector and…
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1819
American general and politician (died 1862)
Isaac Peace Rodman was a Rhode Island banker, politician, and a Union Army brigadier general in the American Civil War, who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Antietam.
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1822
Emperor of Austria from 1848-1916 (died 1916)
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the ruler of the other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 2 December 1848 until his death in 1916. In the early part of his reign, his…
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1830
Scottish businessman and politician (died 1931)
Ernest Noel, FGS was Member of Parliament (MP) for the Scottish seat of Dumfries Burghs from 1874 to 1886. He was chairman of the Artizans, Labourers & General Dwellings Company from 1880, during the construction of a…
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1831
American businessman, founded Marshall Field's (died 1906)
Marshall Field was an American entrepreneur and the founder of Marshall Field and Company, the Chicago-based department stores.
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1834
English-American lieutenant, Medal of Honor recipient (died 1919)
William Halford was a sailor, and later an officer, in the United States Navy. He also received the Medal of Honor.
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1841
English painter and illustrator (died 1942)
Alfred Wallis was a British artist and marine stores dealer. He began painting at the age of 70, in 1925, using household paint on scraps of cardboard. Having lived by the sea all his life, and no artistic training, he…
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1855
Hebrew essayist and journalist and pre-state Zionist thinker (died 1927)
Asher Zvi Hirsch Ginsberg, primarily known by his Hebrew name and pen name Ahad Ha'am, was a Hebrew journalist and essayist, and one of the foremost pre-state Zionist thinkers. He is known as the founder of cultural…
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1856
Belgian-American bishop and missionary (died 1926)
Libert H. Boeynaems, formally Libert Hubert John Louis Boeynaems was a Belgian Catholic priest who served as the fourth vicar apostolic of the Vicariate Apostolic of the Hawaiian Islands – now the Roman Catholic Diocese…
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1857
6th Nizam of Hyderabad (died 1911)
Asaf Jah VI, also known as Sir Mir Mahboob Ali Khan Siddiqi, was the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad. He ruled Hyderabad State, one of the princely states of India, between 1869 and 1911.
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1866
German-American painter and educator (died 1959)
Carl Clemens Moritz Rungius was a leading American wildlife artist. He was born in Germany though he immigrated to the United States and he spent his career painting in the western United States and Canada. Active…
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1869
Russian general and explorer (died 1918)
Lavr Georgiyevich Kornilov was a Russian military intelligence officer, explorer, and general in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I. He served as Supreme Commander of the Russian Army and as the military…
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1870
Russian general (died 1970)
Alexander Pavlovich Rodzyanko was an officer of the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and lieutenant-general and a corps commander of the White Army during the Russian Civil War. He also competed at the 1912…
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1879
Australian poet and critic (died 1964)
Janet Gertrude "Nettie" Palmer was an Australian poet, essayist and Australia's leading literary critic of her day. She corresponded with women writers and collated the Centenary Gift Book which gathered together…
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1885
English rugby player, mines inspector, engineer and professor of mining (died 1957)
John Anthony Sydney Ritson DSO & Bar, was an English mines inspector and engineer who became professor of mining at Leeds University and at the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, London. In his early life he was a…
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1887
German economist and politician, Reich Minister of Economics, convicted Nuremberg war criminal (died 1960)
Walther Immanuel Funk was a German economist, Nazi official and convicted war criminal who served as Reichsminister for the Economy from 1938 to 1945 and president of the Reichsbank from 1939 to 1945. Funk oversaw the…
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1890
American baseball player and manager (died 1985)
Burleigh Arland Grimes was an American professional baseball player and manager, and the last major league pitcher who was officially permitted to throw the spitball. Grimes made the most of this advantage, as well as…
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1893
Canadian conductor and composer (died 1973)
Sir Ernest Alexander Campbell MacMillan, was a Canadian orchestral conductor, composer, organist, and Canada's only "Musical Knight". He is widely regarded as being Canada's pre-eminent musician from the 1920s through…
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1893
Canadian-American actor and director (died 1933)
John Charles Smith, known professionally as Jack Pickford, was a Canadian-American actor, film director, and producer. He was the younger brother of actresses Mary and Lottie Pickford.
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1896
Italian race car driver (died 1955)
Clemente Biondetti was an Italian auto racing driver. Born into a working-class family, Biondetti raced motorcycles before turning to automobiles where he had greater success.
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1898
Soviet Communist activist, sentenced to a labor camp during Joseph Stalin's Great Purge (died 1987)
Ruf Grigorievna Bonner, also known as Ruth Bonner, was a Soviet Communist activist who spent eight years in a labor camp during Joseph Stalin's Great Purge. She was the mother of the human rights activist Yelena Bonner…
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1900
American religious leader (died 1993)
Ruth E. Norman, also known as Uriel, was an American religious leader who co-founded the Unarius Academy of Science, based in Southern California. Raised in California, Norman received little education and worked from…
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1900
Estonian painter (died 1968)
Erich Carl Hugo Adamson was an Estonian artist who worked mainly within the medium of painting in applied art.
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1902
American environmentalist and author (died 2003)
Margaret Elizabeth Thomas "Mardy" Murie was an American naturalist, writer, adventurer, and conservationist. Dubbed the "Grandmother of the Conservation Movement" by both the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society, she…
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1902
French singer (died 1983)
Lucienne Boyer was a French entertainer and musician, best known for her song "Parlez-moi d'amour". Her impresario was Bruno Coquatrix. According to the New York Times, she "reigned as queen of Paris nightlife during…
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1903
Jr., American businessman (died 1996)
Francis Factor, also known as Max Factor Jr., was an American businessman who was president of the Max Factor Cosmetics empire.
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1904
American bandleader, violinist, and recording engineer (died 1978)
Enoch Henry Light was an American classically trained violinist, danceband leader, and recording engineer. As the leader of various dance bands that recorded as early as March 1927 and continuing through at least 1940,…
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1905
French director and screenwriter (died 1996)
Marcel Albert Carné was a French film director. A key figure in the poetic realism movement, Carné's best known films include Port of Shadows (1938), Le Jour Se Lève (1939), Les Visiteurs du Soir (1942) and Children of…
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1906
1906
French historian and politician, 139th Prime Minister of France (died 1988)
Edgar Jean Faure was a French politician, lawyer, essayist, historian and memoirist who served as Prime Minister of France in 1952 and again between 1955 and 1956. Prior to his election to the National Assembly for Jura…
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1908
Norwegian poet and gardener (died 1994)
Olav Håkonson Hauge was a Norwegian horticulturist, translator and poet.
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1908
New Zealand cricketer and sportscaster (died 1977)
William Edward Merritt was a New Zealand Test cricketer who played for Canterbury and Northamptonshire, and a rugby league footballer who played for Canterbury, Wigan and Halifax.
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1908
Canadian businessman and journalist (died 2005)
Gérard Filion, was a Canadian businessman and journalist.
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1909
Polish-American pianist, composer, and conductor (died 2001)
Herman Berlinski was a German-born American composer, organist, pianist, musicologist and choir conductor.
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1910
Canadian colonel, engineer, and politician, 26th Canadian Minister of Public Works (died 1969)
Robert Henry Winters was a Canadian politician and businessman.
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1910
American activist (died 2015)
Amelia Isadora Platts Boynton Robinson was an American activist and supercentenarian who was a leader of the American Civil Rights Movement in Selma, Alabama, and a key figure in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches.
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1911
Hungarian computer scientist and programmer (died 1963)
Klára Dán von Neumann was a Hungarian-American mathematician, self-taught engineer and computer scientist, noted as one of the first computer programmers. She was the first woman to execute modern-style code on a…
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1911
Indonesian politician and women's rights activist (died 1988)
Maria Ulfah Soebadio Sastrosatomo, better known by her first married name Maria Ulfah Santoso, was an Indonesian politician and women's rights activist who served as Minister of Social Affairs under Prime Minister Sutan…
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1911
German general (died 1997)
Generalmajor Otto Ernst Remer was a German Army officer who served during World War II and played a major role in stopping the 20 July plot in 1944 against Adolf Hitler. He was a captain and a major (1943-1944), and…
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1912
Belgian cyclist (died 1983)
Romanus Maes was a Belgian cyclist who won the 1935 Tour de France after wearing the yellow jersey of leadership from beginning to end. Maes was the 13th child in his family. He started racing when he was 17. He turned…
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1913
United States Navy lieutenant commander and psychiatrist (died 2017)
Lucy Dorothy Ozarin was a psychiatrist who served in the United States Navy. She was one of the first women psychiatrists commissioned in the Navy, and she was one of seven female Navy psychiatrists who served during…
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1914
American baseball player and manager (died 2007)
Hubert Max Lanier was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, and St. Louis Browns. He led the National League in…
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1915
Romanian historian, journalist, and diplomat (died 2018)
Neagu Bunea Djuvara was a Romanian historian, essayist, philosopher, journalist, novelist, and diplomat.
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1916
1916
American captain, lawyer, and politician, 15th United States Secretary of Defense (died 2006)
Caspar Willard Weinberger was an American politician and businessman who served in a variety of state and federal positions for three decades as a Republican, most notably as Secretary of Defense under President Ronald…
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1917
American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 1961)
Gilbert Vandine "Cisco" Houston was an American folk singer and songwriter, who is closely associated with Woody Guthrie due to their extensive history of traveling and recording together.
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1918
American businessman and politician, 2nd Governor of Alaska (died 2010)
Walter Joseph Hickel was an American businessman, real estate developer, and politician who served as the second governor of Alaska from 1966 to 1969 and 1990 to 1994, as well as U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 1969…
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1919
English cricketer (died 1999)
Thomas Godfrey Evans was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England. Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances…
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1920
American baseball player and manager (died 2005)
Robert Daniel Kennedy was an American professional baseball right fielder/third baseman, manager and executive in Major League Baseball.
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1920
American actress (died 2006)
Shelley Winters was an American film actress whose career spanned seven decades. She won Academy Awards for The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) and A Patch of Blue (1965), and received nominations for A Place in the Sun…
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1920
Russian lieutenant and pilot (died 1943)
Lydia Vladimirovna Litvyak, also known as Lilya, was a fighter pilot in the Soviet Air Force during World War II. Historians' estimates for her total victories range from thirteen to fourteen solo victories and four to…
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1921
Polish historian and academic (died 2015)
Zdzisław Żygulski was a Polish art historian and professor of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków. The son of Zdzisław Żygulski (senior), he was the curator of the Arms and Armour Section of the Czartoryski Museum from…
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1921
French director, screenwriter, and novelist (died 2008)
Alain Robbe-Grillet was a French writer and filmmaker. He was one of the figures most associated with the Nouveau Roman trend of the 1960s, along with Nathalie Sarraute, Michel Butor and Claude Simon. Robbe-Grillet was…
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1922
American actress (died 2004)[better source needed]
Katherine Victor was an American actress, perhaps best known for her roles in Ron Ormond's Mesa of Lost Women (1953) and a number of Jerry Warren's films. She was also known as Katina Vea.
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1923
English author and critic (died 2017)
Brian Wilson Aldiss was an English writer, artist and anthology editor, best known for science-fiction novels and short stories. His byline reads either Brian W. Aldiss or simply Brian Aldiss, except for occasional…
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1925
Canadian surgeon and academic (died 2006)
Pierre Grondin, was a Canadian cardiac surgeon known for his contributions to heart transplantation and cardiac surgery. After completing postgraduate training with Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley in Houston, Texas,…
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1925
Egyptian journalist and author (died 2011)
Anis Mansour, also transliterated as Anīs Manṣūr was an Egyptian writer.
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1925
41st First Lady of the United States (died 2023)
Eleanor Rosalynn Carter was an American activist and humanitarian who served as the first lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981, as the wife of President Jimmy Carter, from their marriage from 1946 until her death…
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1927
American businesswoman (died 2004)
Margaret Carolyn Schott was an American baseball executive. Serving as managing general partner, president and CEO of Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds franchise from 1984 to 1999, she was the second woman to own…
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1928
1928
French singer-songwriter
Hugues Jean Marie Auffray, better known as Hugues Aufray, is a French singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is known for French-language covers of Bob Dylan's songs. Aufray knew Dylan and his work from his time in New…
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1929
Romanian-American engineer and academic (died 2007)
Liviu Librescu was a Romanian–Israeli-American scientist and engineer. A prominent academic in addition to being a survivor of the Holocaust, his major research fields were aeroelasticity and aerodynamics.
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1930
Honduran academic and politician (died 2014)
Rafael Pineda Ponce was a Honduran professor and politician in the Liberal Party of Honduras and President of the National Congress of Honduras from 1998 to 2002.
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1930
Canadian 14th General of The Salvation Army (died 2019)
Bramwell Harold Tillsley was a Canadian salvationist and writer, who was the 14th General of The Salvation Army (1993–1994). General Tillsley died on Saturday, November 2, 2019, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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1931
Dutch journalist and politician, Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands (died 2010)
Henricus Antonius Franciscus Maria Oliva "Hans" van Mierlo was a Dutch politician and journalist who co-founded Democrats 66 (D66).
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1931
American film, theater and television actor (died 1985)
Grant Williams was an American film, theater, and television actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of Scott Carey in the science fiction film The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957), and for his starring role as…
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1931
French virologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2022)
Luc Montagnier was a French virologist and joint recipient, with Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Harald zur Hausen, of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of the human immunodeficiency virus…
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1932
Moroccan-French footballer and manager (died 2023)
Just Louis Fontaine was a French professional footballer who played as a striker. He scored the most goals ever in a single edition of the FIFA World Cup, with thirteen in six matches in the 1958 tournament. In March…
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1933
French-Polish director, producer, screenwriter, and actor
Raymond Roman Thierry Polański is a Polish and French filmmaker and actor. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, three British Academy Film Awards, ten César Awards, two Golden Globe…
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1933
American gangster and hitman (died 2022)
Francis Patrick Salemme, sometimes spelled Salemmi, also known as "Cadillac Frank" and "the General", was an American mobster from Boston, Massachusetts who became a hitman and eventually the boss of the Patriarca crime…
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1933
American lawyer and author (died 2015)
Vincent T. Bugliosi Jr. was an American prosecutor and author who served as Deputy District Attorney for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office between 1964 and 1972. He became best known for successfully…
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1934
Puerto Rican-American baseball player and soldier (died 1972)
Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker was a Puerto Rican professional baseball player who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, primarily as a right fielder. On December 31, 1972,…
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1934
1934
American decathlete and actor (died 2020)
Rafer Lewis Johnson was an American decathlete and film and television actor. He was the 1960 Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon, having won silver in 1956. He had previously won a gold at the 1955 Pan American…
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1934
German-Swiss race car driver and engineer
Michael[1] May is a former racing driver and engineer from Switzerland. He participated in three Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 14 May 1961. He scored no championship points.
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1934
American actress (died 2000)
Gail Fisher was an American actress who was one of the first Black women to play substantive roles in American television. She was best known for playing the role of secretary Peggy Fair on the television detective…
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1935
Namibian lawyer and politician, 2nd President of Namibia
Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba is a Namibian politician who served as the second president of Namibia from 21 March 2005 to 21 March 2015. He won the 2004 presidential election overwhelmingly as the candidate of SWAPO and…
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1935
American actor, director, and producer (died 2025)
Charles Robert Redford Jr. was an American actor, director and producer, celebrated for his magnetic presence as a leading man during the American New Wave. Across a career spanning more than six decades, Redford earned…
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1936
English physician and author
Sheila Anne Cassidy is an English doctor, known for her work in the hospice movement, as a writer and as someone who, by publicising her own history as a torture survivor, drew attention to human rights abuse in Chile…
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1937
1939
English businessman (died 2011)
Sir Robert Baynes Horton was a British businessman. He was a director of the European Advisory Council and of Emerson Electric Company. He spent 30 years working for BP, formerly British Petroleum. He became Chief…
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1939
American pop singer (died 2011)
John Preston Courville, known professionally as Johnny Preston, was an American rock and roll singer, best known for his 1959 international number one hit "Running Bear" and his 1960 hit “Cradle of Love”
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1939
Polish-Canadian pianist and composer
Adam Makowicz is a Polish pianist and composer living in Toronto. He performs jazz and classical piano pieces, as well as his own compositions.
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1940
American journalist (died 1982)
Gilman "Gil" Whitney (1940–1982) was an American television personality in Dayton, Ohio, who worked primarily at WHIO television and radio until his death in 1982. He was posthumously inducted into the Dayton…
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1940
American actor
Henry Gale Sanders is an American actor best known for his role in Charles Burnett's 1977 neo-realist film Killer of Sheep. He has also appeared extensively on television, on such programs as The Rockford Files,…
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1942
American actor and comedian (died 2024)
Martin Eugene Mull was an American actor, musician, and painter. He became known on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, its spin-off Fernwood 2 Night, and America 2 Night. His other notable roles included Colonel Mustard in the…
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1943
Italian footballer and politician
Giovanni "Gianni" Rivera is an Italian politician and former footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.
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1943
English singer and actor (died 2004)
Colin David Tooley, better known as Carl Wayne, was an English singer and actor. He is best remembered as the lead singer of The Move, a group that he co-founded in 1965. He sings lead on several of the band's hits,…
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1943
American author (died 2004)
Paula Danziger was an American children's author who wrote more than 30 books, including her 1974 debut The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, for children's and young adult audiences. At the time of her death, all her books were…
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1944
Australian sculptor and illustrator
Robert Charles Hitchcock is an Australian sculptor. He commenced his career in 1970 and works in a wide variety of subjects and materials. Hitchcock is one of the leading portrait sculptors currently working in…
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1944
American singer-songwriter and actress (died 2021)
Sarah Dash was an American singer. She first appeared on the music scene as a member of Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles. Dash was later a member of Labelle, and worked as a singer, session musician, and sidewoman for The…
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1945
Estonian lawyer and politician
Värner Lootsmann is an Estonian politician from Harju County.
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1945
Jr., American soldier, lawyer, and author (died 1994)
Lewis Burwell Puller Jr. was an attorney and a United States Marine Corps officer who was severely wounded in the Vietnam War. He won the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography for his autobiography…
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1945
English bishop
James Stuart Jones is a retired Church of England bishop. He was the Bishop of Liverpool between 1998 and 2013.
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1948
English intelligence officer, former head of MI6
Sir John McLeod Scarlett is a British senior intelligence officer. He was Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) from 2004 to 2009. Prior to this appointment, he had chaired the Joint Intelligence Committee…
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1948
English bass player, songwriter, and producer
Nigel Griggs is an English musician, best known as bass guitarist in the band Split Enz. He is the brother of Paul Griggs from the 1970s vocal group Guys 'n' Dolls.
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1949
English drummer and sculptor
Dennis Leslie Elliott is a British musician and artist who was the original drummer for the rock band Foreigner. He played with the band from 1976 until leaving between 1991 and 1993. He went on to become a sculptor.
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1950
American actress, director, and screenwriter
Elayne Boosler is an American comedian, writer, and actress.
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1952
American actor and dancer (died 2009)
Patrick Wayne Swayze was an American actor, singer-songwriter and dancer. Known for his romantic, tough, and comedic roles in blockbusters and cult films, Swayze was nominated for three Golden Globes and received a star…
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1952
Argentinian footballer and coach
Ricardo Julio Villa, more commonly known as Ricky Villa, is an Argentine football coach and former professional midfielder. He was famous for his time playing football from 1970 to 1989.
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1952
American R&B bass player and songwriter (died 2010)
Marvin Isley was an American musician best known as the youngest member of the family music group the Isley Brothers and its bass guitarist.
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1953
Italian astrophysicist, astronaut, and politician
Umberto Guidoni is an Italian astrophysicist, science writer and a former ESA astronaut, being the first European to visit the International Space Station. He is a veteran of two NASA Space Shuttle missions. He was also…
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1954
American baseball player and coach
Bruce Edwin Benedict is an American former professional baseball player, coach and scout. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Atlanta Braves from 1978 to 1989.
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1955
Egyptian-American cryptographer
Taher Elgamal is an Egyptian-American cryptographer and tech executive. Since January 2023, he has been a partner at venture capital firm Evolution Equity Partners. Prior to that, he was the founder and CEO of Securify…
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1955
American composer and conductor
John Cardon Debney is an American composer and conductor of film, television, and video game scores. His work encompasses a variety of mediums and genres like comedy, horror, science fiction, thriller, fantasy, and…
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1956
Indian cricketer and coach
Sandeep Patil is an Indian former cricketer, India national age-group cricket manager and former Kenya national team coach, who guided the underdogs to the semi-finals of the 2003 World Cup. He was a hard-hitting middle…
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1956
American drummer and producer
Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz is a drummer best known for working with the singer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic. The two met while recording "Another One Rides the Bus" at the Dr. Demento show on September 14, 1980. Shortly…
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1956
American singer-songwriter
Kelly Willard is a contemporary Christian musician best known for her praise and worship recordings. She was featured as a soloist on recordings from Integrity, Vineyard Music, and Maranatha! Music. Additionally she has…
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1956
German cardinal
Rainer Maria Woelki is a German Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Cologne since 2014. This came following his election by the Cathedral Chapter to succeed Joachim Meisner. He previously served as…
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1956
French actress
Carole Bouquet is a French actress who has appeared in more than 60 films since 1977. In 1990, she was awarded the César Award for Best Actress for her role in Too Beautiful for You.
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1957
1957
American comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter
Denis Colin Leary is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He first came to prominence as a stand-up comedian, especially through appearances on MTV and through the stand-up specials No Cure for Cancer (1993) and…
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1957
Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
Ronald Graham Strykert is an Australian musician. He is best known for playing lead guitar, co-founding and composing songs with the 1980s band Men at Work.
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1957
French race car driver
Didier Auriol is a French former rally driver. Born in Montpellier and initially an ambulance driver, he competed in the World Rally Championship throughout the 1990s. He became World Rally Champion in 1994, the first…
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1958
American actress
Madeleine Stowe is an American actress. She appeared mostly on television before her role in the 1987 crime-comedy film Stakeout. She went on to star in the films Revenge (1990), Unlawful Entry (1992), The Last of the…
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1958
American wrestler and trainer
Thomas Prichard is an American retired professional wrestler and author better known by the ring name Dr. Tom Prichard. He is the older brother of Bruce Prichard.
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1959
American baseball player
Michael Eugene LaValliere is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Chicago White Sox.
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1960
1960
Welsh journalist and author
Huw Edwards is a Welsh former news presenter. He was the lead presenter of BBC News at Ten, the late evening news programme of BBC Television, from 2003 to 2023. He resigned from the BBC in 2024, during a police…
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1961
American banker and politician, 75th United States Secretary of the Treasury
Timothy Franz Geithner is an American former central banker who served as the 75th United States secretary of the treasury under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013. He was the President of the Federal Reserve Bank…
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1961
American journalist and author
Robert Warren Woodruff is an American television journalist. Since 1996, he has served as a reporter for ABC News. Woodruff co-anchored ABC World News Tonight in 2006 with journalist Elizabeth Vargas. He was severely…
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1961
Mexican lawyer and politician, 56th President of Mexico
Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa is a Mexican politician and lawyer who served as the 63rd president of Mexico from 2006 to 2012 and Secretary of Energy during the presidency of Vicente Fox between 2003 and 2004. He…
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1962
Canadian ice hockey player and coach
Geoffrey Lawton Courtnall is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1983 to 2000. He was the head coach of the Victoria Grizzlies of the British Columbia…
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1962
American actor
Adam J. Storke is an American actor who has starred in television and film. He is best known for playing Julia Roberts's love interest in the 1988 film Mystic Pizza and as Larry Underwood in the 1994 Stephen King mini…
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1962
1964
German singer and songwriter
Andreas "Andi" Deris is a German singer, best known as one of the three co-lead vocalists of the power metal band Helloween, and co-founder and former lead singer of the metal band Pink Cream 69.
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1964
Australian rugby league player
Mark Sargent is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative forward, he played in the NSWRL…
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1964
American basketball player and sportscaster
Kenneth Walker is an American former professional basketball player. He played primarily for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Sky" Walker, he won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in…
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1964
Japanese voice actress
Ikue Ōtani is a Japanese actress who specializes in voice acting. She is best known for her anime roles in the Pokémon series, One Piece, Detective Conan, Corpse Party, Naruto, Cookie Run: Kingdom, Smile PreCure!, Uchi…
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1965
Argentinian director and producer
Gustavo Charif is an Argentine writer, visual artist and film director. His works are a sort of Dadaism mixed with the secular poetry of actual times.
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1966
Indian Punjabi singer, songwriter and record producer
Daler Singh, better known as Daler Mehndi, is an Indian singer, songwriter, author, and record producer. He has helped to make Bhangra popular worldwide, as well as Indian pop music independent of Bollywood music. He is…
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1967
American author and illustrator
Brian Michael Bendis is an American comic book writer and artist.
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1967
1969
American rapper
Jamel Irief, better known by his stage name Masta Killa, is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He was only featured on one track on their 1993 debut album Enter the Wu-Tang , but has been prolific on…
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1969
German rugby player and coach
Mark Kuhlmann is a retired German international rugby union player, having played for the DRC Hannover in the Rugby-Bundesliga and the German national rugby union team. He captained Germany for a lengthy period of time…
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1969
American actor
Edward Harrison Norton is an American actor and filmmaker. After graduating from Yale College in 1991 with a degree in history, he worked for a few months in Japan before moving to New York City to pursue an acting…
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1969
American actor and producer
Christian Michael Leonard Slater is an American actor. He made his film debut with a leading role in The Legend of Billie Jean (1985) and gained wider recognition for his breakout role as Jason "J.D." Dean, a…
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1969
American economist and politician
Jason Furman is an American economist and professor at the Harvard Kennedy School. and a nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. On June 10, 2013, Furman was named by President…
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1970
American actor and producer (died 2025)
Malcolm-Jamal Warner was an American actor, musician and poet. He rose to prominence for his role as Theodore Huxtable on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992), which earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding…
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1970
Swedish footballer
Patrik Jonas Andersson is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a defender.
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1971
English musician and record producer
Richard David James, known professionally as Aphex Twin, is a British musician, composer and DJ active in electronic music since 1988. His idiosyncratic work has drawn on many styles, including techno, ambient, acid,…
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1971
American novelist and critic
Nicole Krauss is an American author best known for her four novels Man Walks into a Room (2002), The History of Love (2005), Great House (2010) and Forest Dark (2017), which have been translated into 35 languages. Her…
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1974
American actress and comedian
Kaitlin Willow Olson McElhenney is an American actress and comedian. She is best known for her roles as Deandra "Sweet Dee" Reynolds in the FXX comedy series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Morgan Gillory in the…
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1975
Greek footballer
Paraskevas Antzas is a Greek former professional footballer who played as a defender.
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1977
Norwegian musician and educator
Even Skatrud is a Norwegian jazz musician, composer, arranger, Orchestra leader, and lecturer at the University of Oslo. He is the son of musician Harry Andersen and Marit Skatrud Andersen, married and divorced from…
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1977
American actor and comedian
Andy Samberg is an American actor, comedian, rapper, writer and producer. He is a member of the comedy music group the Lonely Island, along with childhood friends Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone. Samberg was also a…
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1978
Australian footballer
Stuart Dew is an Australian rules football coach and former head coach of the Gold Coast Suns in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is currently an assistant coach at the Port Adelaide Football Club. As a player,…
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1979
Argentinian footballer
Esteban Matías Cambiasso Deleau, nicknamed "Cuchu", is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
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1980
Australian race car driver
Robert Hoang Nguyen is an Australian racing car driver of Vietnamese descent who competed in the 2002 and part of the 2003 International Formula 3000 seasons before running out of money. He was noted for coming straight…
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1980
Australian rugby league player
Ryan O'Hara is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played for the Jacksonville Axemen in the USA Rugby League. A New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he previously played in…
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1980
American football player
Bartholomew Edward Scott is an American sports analyst and former professional football player. Scott was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons. After playing college football for the…
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1980
American football player
Jeremy Charles Shockey is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes, earning first-team All-American…
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1980
Argentinian footballer
César Fabián Delgado Godoy is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a winger. He also played as a central midfielder, making piercing forward runs through the center of the opposition's defence. His…
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1981
Greek footballer
Dimitris Salpingidis is a Greek former professional footballer who played as a forward. He was known to be "a very quick and useful tool on the counter attack."
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1981
1983
Australian cricketer
Cameron Leon White is an Australian former international cricketer who captained the national side in Twenty20 Internationals. A powerful middle order batsman and right-arm leg-spin bowler, White made his first-class…
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1983
Dutch footballer
Sigourney Bandjar is a Dutch former professional footballer. He previously played five years for Excelsior.
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1984
German footballer
Robert Huth is a German former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He is a three-time Premier League winner and has made the most Premier League appearances (322) by a German player.
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1984
Dutch swimmer
Inge Dekker is a Dutch former competitive swimmer who specialised in butterfly and freestyle events. She won the bronze medal with the Dutch women's 4×100-metre freestyle relay team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in…
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1985
Costa Rican footballer
Bryan Jafet Ruiz González is a Costa Rican former professional footballer. A left-footed attacking midfielder, he also played as a second striker.
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1985
American baseball player
James Evan Gattis is an American former professional baseball designated hitter and catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros. Gattis has also earned the nickname of El…
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1986
Scottish footballer
Ross McCormack is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a striker for English side Doncaster City, who play in the Central Midlands Alliance League North Division.
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1986
Polish mixed martial artist
Joanna Jędrzejczyk is a Polish former professional mixed martial artist, Muay Thai fighter and kickboxer. Jędrzejczyk competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where she holds several records and is a former…
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1987
American baseball player
Justin James Wilson is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs,…
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1987
English footballer
Jack Hobbs is an English former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He has played in the English Football League and Premier League for Lincoln City, Liverpool, Scunthorpe United, Leicester City, Hull…
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1988
Icelandic footballer
Eggert Gunnþór Jónsson is an Icelandic international footballer who plays predominantly as a midfielder but is also capable of playing as a centre back or in both full back roles. He plays for the Icelandic club…
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1988
1988
American actress, comedian, musician, and YouTuber
Anna Kay Napualani Akana is an American YouTuber, comedian, actress, filmmaker, and musician. She has appeared in TV series, web series, films, and music videos that include Ray William Johnson's Breaking Los Angeles…
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1989
1989
Australian basketball player
Elizabeth Folake Cambage is an Australian professional basketball player for the Sichuan Yuanda of the Women's Chinese Basketball Association. She won the Women's National Basketball League in 2011 and 2014 and the…
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1991
Canadian actor
Richard Scott Harmon is a Canadian actor. His roles on television include Jasper Ames in The Killing (2011–2012), Julian Randol on Continuum (2012–2015), John Murphy in The 100 (2014–2020), and Joe on Memory of a Killer…
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1991
American swimmer
Elizabeth Lyon Beisel is an American competition swimmer who specializes in backstroke and individual medley events. She has won a total of nine medals in major international competition, four gold, one silver, and four…
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1992
Serbian basketball player
Bogdan Bogdanović is a Serbian professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also represents the Serbian national team.
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1992
American visual artist and model
Frances Bean Cobain is an American visual artist and model. She is the only child of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and Hole frontwoman Courtney Love. She controls the publicity rights to her father's name and image.
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1992
South Korean singer-songwriter
Jung Eun-ji is a South Korean singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being a member of the South Korean girl group Apink. Jung released her debut solo extended play Dream in 2016.
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1993
Australian actress and singer
Maia McCall Mitchell is an Australian actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Callie Adams Foster in the Freeform drama The Fosters (2013–18) and its spin-off series Good Trouble (2019–24). She also…
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1993
American actress and YouTuber
Madelaine Grobbelaar Petsch is an American actress and social media personality. She is best known for portraying Cheryl Blossom on The CW television series Riverdale (2017–2023).
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1994
French footballer
Morgan Stéphane Sanson is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Ligue 1 club Nice.
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1994
Japanese baseball player
Seiya Suzuki is a Japanese professional baseball right fielder and designated hitter for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hiroshima…
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1994
Latvian figure skater
Alīna Fjodorova is a Latvian figure skater. She is a three-time Latvian national champion and competed in the free skate at three ISU Championships – 2010 Junior Worlds in The Hague, Netherlands; 2012 Junior Worlds in…
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1995
American actress
Parker McKenna Posey is an American actress. She is known for her role as Kady Kyle on the television show My Wife and Kids (2001–2005).
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1995
Australian actress
Josephine Eliza Langford is an Australian actress best known for her starring role as Tessa Young in the After film series. She also portrayed Emma Cunningham in the Netflix film Moxie. She also played Zoey Miller in…
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1997
Portuguese footballer
Renato Júnior Luz Sanches is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Greek Super League club Panathinaikos, on loan from Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain.
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1997
Australian-Samoan rugby league player
Brian To'o is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for the Penrith Panthers in the National Rugby League, New South Wales in the State of Origin series. Known for his strength, he is…
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1998
1998
American far-right political commentator
Nicholas Joseph Fuentes is an American far-right political commentator, live streamer, and influencer. He hosts the livestreamed show America First, where he has advanced white nationalism and white supremacy, Christian…
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1998
American basketball player
Cassius Jerome Stanley is an American professional basketball player for Šiauliai of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL). He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils.
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1999
Canadian swimmer
Summer Ann McIntosh is a Canadian competitive swimmer. She is a three-time Olympic champion, eight-time World Aquatics champion, and two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist. Noted for her strength in medley,…
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2006
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Who was born on August 18?
Louie Gohmert — American politician (born 1953)
FeaturedLouie Gohmert
Birth year1953
Known foris an American attorney, politician, and former judge who was the U.S
Birthdays on this date211 (1305 – 2006)
Explore August 18
Jump between the main pages for this date to compare events, people, and the daily quiz.
Also on August 18 in History
2019
One hundred activists, officials, and other concerned citizens in Iceland hold a funeral for Okjökull glacier, which has completely melted after having once covered six square miles (15.5 km2). Wikipedia →
2017
The Turku terror attack occurs in Finland when a knifeman kills two and injures eight. Wikipedia →
2011
See all events on August 18
A terrorist attack on Israel's Highway 12 near the Egyptian border kills 16 and injures 40. Wikipedia →
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