Did you know
Fonda is also the recipient of various honorary awards including the Honorary Palme d'Or in 2007, the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2014, the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2017, the Cecil B.
Famous Birthdays on December 21
1937 — Jane Fonda
American actress and activist
December 21 has 178 recorded notable births across history, from 968 to 2006. This focused page highlights 20 people with the strongest available profile context.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
Famous Birthdays
178 source records
968 – 2006
Sagittarius
Today in history
Major events on December 21
See what else happened on this day in history.
- 1968 Apollo program: Apollo 8 is launched from the Kennedy Space Center, placing its crew on a lunar trajectory for the first visit to another celestial body by humans. Source
- 1826 American settlers in Nacogdoches, Mexican Texas, declare their independence, starting the Fredonian Rebellion. Source
- 1861 Medal of Honor: Public Resolution 82, containing a provision for a Navy Medal of Valor, is signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. Source
- 1991 Dissolution of the Soviet Union: The leaders of 11 now effectively autonomous Soviet republics sign the Alma-Ata Protocol establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States in place of the collapsing Soviet Union. Source
Did you know
Dick's first regular television role was on The Ben Stiller Show on Fox.
Did you know
Benjamin Disraeli made the Conservatives the party most identified with the British Empire and military action to expand it, both of which were popular among British voters.
Did you know
Jeffrey Katzenberg served as chair of Walt Disney Studios from 1984 to 1994, a position in which he oversaw production and business operations for the company's feature films.
Did you know
Mirza Raja Man Singh I was the 24th Kachawaha ruler of the Kingdom of Amber from 1589 to 1614.
More major people born on December 21
Notable people are ranked by substantive profile depth and public notability.
1965
Andy Dick
American actor and comedian
Andrew Roane Dick is an American actor and comedian. Dick was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and joined The Second City and studied improvisational theater.
1804
Benjamin Disraeli
English lawyer and politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (died 1881)
Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, was a British statesman, Conservative politician and writer who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
1950
Jeffrey Katzenberg
American screenwriter and producer, co-founded DreamWorks Animation
Jeffrey Katzenberg is an American media proprietor and film producer.
1550
Man Singh I
Mughal noble (died 1614)
Mirza Raja Man Singh I was the 24th Kachawaha ruler of the Kingdom of Amber from 1589 to 1614.
1944
Michael Tilson Thomas
American pianist, composer, and conductor (died 2026)
Michael Tilson Thomas was an American conductor, composer, pianist and music pedagogue. He was music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra from 1971 to 1979.
1615
Benedict Arnold
Rhode Island colonial governor (died 1678)
Benedict Arnold was president and then governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, serving for a total of 11 years in these roles.
1932
U. R. Ananthamurthy
Indian author, poet, and critic (died 2014)
Udupi Rajagopalacharya Ananthamurthy was an Indian contemporary writer and critic in the Kannada language. He was born in Thirtahalli Taluk and is considered one of the pioneers of the Navya movement.
1872
Lorenzo Perosi
Italian priest and composer (died 1956)
Monsignor Lorenzo Perosi was an Italian composer of sacred music and the only member of the Giovane Scuola who did not write opera.
1920
Iris Cummings
American swimmer and aviator (died 2025)
Iris Cummings, also known by her married name Iris Critchell, was an American aviator and competition swimmer who represented the United States at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany.
1889
Sewall Wright
American geneticist and biologist (died 1988)
Sewall Green Wright ForMemRS HonFRSE was an American geneticist known for his influential work on evolutionary theory and also for his work on path analysis.
1872
Trevor Kincaid
Canadian-American zoologist and academic (died 1970)
Trevor Charles Digby Kincaid was a Canadian-American scientist and professor at the University of Washington who achieved national acclaim for his scientific achievements while an undergraduate student.
1934
Hanif Mohammad
Pakistani cricketer (died 2016)
Hanif Mohammad PP was a Pakistani cricketer. He played for the Pakistani cricket team in 55 Test matches between the 1952–53 season and the 1969–70 season. He averaged 43.98, scoring twelve centuries.
1840
Namık Kemal
Turkish journalist, playwright, and activist (died 1888)
Namık Kemal was an Ottoman writer, poet, democrat, intellectual, reformer, journalist, playwright, and political activist who was influential in the formation of the Young Ottomans and their struggle for governmental…
1868
George W. Fuller
American chemist and engineer (died 1934)
George Warren Fuller was an American sanitary engineer who was also trained in bacteriology and chemistry.
1943
Walter Spanghero
French rugby player
Walter Spanghero is a former French rugby union footballer. His father, Ferruccio Dante Spanghero, emigrated from Friuli, arriving in France in the 1930s to make a living as a bricklayer.
1940
Frank Zappa
American singer-songwriter, guitarist, composer and producer (died 1993)
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, songwriter, guitarist, conductor, actor, satirist, filmmaker, and activist.
1955
Jane Kaczmarek
American actress
Jane Frances Kaczmarek is an American actress. Her role as Lois on the Fox sitcom Malcolm in the Middle (2000–2006) earned her three Golden Globe nominations and seven Primetime Emmy nominations.
1795
Leopold von Ranke
German historian, author, and academic (died 1886)
Leopold von Ranke was a German historian and a founder of modern source-based history.
1983
Steven Yeun
American actor
Sang-yeop Yeun, known professionally as Steven Yeun, is an American actor. He rose to prominence for playing Glenn Rhee in the television series The Walking Dead (2010–2016).