Did you know
In 2013, she became the first model to land four different solo international covers of Vogue's September issue in a single year.
Famous Birthdays on January 23
206 people
1350 – 2004
January 23 has seen 206 notable people enter the world across recorded history — from 1350 – 2004. Below are the most significant names born on this date.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
1985 — Doutzen Kroes
Dutch model and actress
Did you know
She began her modelling career in 2003, in the Netherlands and was quickly sent by her agency to New York where she was cast by lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret
Did you know
She was a Victoria's Secret Angel from 2008 until 2014, making her the second Dutch to earn the coveted title after Karen Mulder
Did you know
She has been a brand ambassador for L'Oréal Paris since 2006
Did you know
In 2014, she came in second on the Forbes top-earning models list, estimated to have earned $8 million in one year
Spanish missionary and saint (died 1419)
Vincent Ferrer, OP was a Valencian Dominican friar who gained acclaim as a preacher, missionary and logician. After supporting Antipope Benedict XIII during the Western Schism, Ferrer travelled to preach across Western…
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1350
1378
1514
1585
1622
1719
American general and politician, first Governor of Massachusetts (died 1793)
John Hancock was an American Founding Father, merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot of the American Revolution. He was the longest-serving president of the Continental Congress, having served as the second…
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1737
English engineer, built the Cromford Canal (died 1814)
William Jessop was an English civil engineer, best known for his work on canals, harbours and early railways in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
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1745
Italian pianist, composer, and conductor (died 1832)
Muzio Filippo Vincenzo Francesco Saverio Clementi was an Italian composer, virtuoso pianist, pedagogue, conductor, music publisher, editor, and piano manufacturer who was mostly active in England.
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1752
Greek general (died 1827)
Georgios Karaiskakis, born Georgios Karaiskos, was a Greek military commander and a leader of the Greek War of Independence.
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1780
1783
French-Russian architect, designed Saint Isaac's Cathedral and Alexander Column (died 1858)
Auguste de Montferrand was a French classicist architect who worked primarily in Russia. His two best known works are the Saint Isaac's Cathedral and the Alexander Column in Saint Petersburg.
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1786
Tyrolean engineer and railroad pioneer active in the Austrian Empire (died 1858)
Nikolaus Alois Maria Vinzenz Negrelli, Ritter von Moldelbe was a Tyrolean civil engineer and railroad pioneer mostly active in parts of the Austrian Empire, Switzerland, Germany and Italy.
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1799
Indian activist (died 1884)
Bira Surendra Sai was an Indian revolutionary and freedom fighter from what is now Odisha. He fought against the British rule in India after they dethroned the rulers of the Sambalpur State.
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1809
Norwegian novelist and activist (died 1895)
Jacobine Camilla Collett was a Norwegian writer, often referred to as the first Norwegian feminist. She was also the younger sister of Norwegian poet Henrik Wergeland, and is recognized as being one of the first…
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1813
Japanese samurai (died 1877)
Saigō Takamori was a Japanese samurai and politician who was one of the most influential figures in Japanese history. He played a key role in the Meiji Restoration, which overthrew the Tokugawa shogunate in 1868, and…
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1828
French painter (died 1883)
Édouard Manet was a French modernist painter. He was one of the first 19th-century artists to paint modern life, as well as a pivotal figure in the transition from Realism to Impressionism.
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1832
Sri Lankan lawyer and politician (died 1879)
Sir Muthu Coomaraswamy was a Ceylon Tamil lawyer, writer and member of the Legislative Council of Ceylon.
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1833
German-American nun and saint (died 1918)
Marianne Cope, OSF, also known as Marianne of Molokaʻi, was a German-born American member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Syracuse. She was founding director of St. Joseph's Hospital in the city, among the first…
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1838
German physicist and engineer (died 1905)
Ernst Karl Abbe, was a German businessman, optical engineer, physicist, and social reformer. Together with Otto Schott and Carl Zeiss, he developed numerous optical instruments. He was also a co-owner of Carl Zeiss AG,…
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1840
Russian physicist and mathematician (died 1915)
Nikolay Alekseevich Umov was a Russian physicist and mathematician known for discovering the concept of Umov-Poynting vector and Umov effect.
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1846
American politician (died 1902)
John Marks Moore was an American attorney, Democratic politician from Texas, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, and the Secretary of State of Texas during the term of Lawrence Sullivan Ross.
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1853
American weapons designer, founded the Browning Arms Company (died 1926)
John Moses Browning was an American firearm designer who developed many varieties of military and civilian firearms, cartridges, and gun mechanisms, many of which are still in use around the world. He made his first…
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1855
Croatian meteorologist and seismologist (died 1936)
Andrija Mohorovičić was a Croatian geophysicist and academic. He is best known for the eponymous Mohorovičić discontinuity and is considered one of the founders of modern seismology. He is also considered among the…
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1857
German mathematician and academic (died 1943)
David Hilbert was a German mathematician and philosopher of mathematics and one of the most influential mathematicians of his time.
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1862
American inventor and engineer (died 1918)
Frank Shuman was an American inventor, engineer and solar energy pioneer known for his work on solar engines, especially those that used solar energy to heat water that would produce steam.
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1862
French physicist and academic (died 1946)
Paul Langevin was a French physicist who developed Langevin dynamics and the Langevin equation. He was one of the founders of the Comité de vigilance des intellectuels antifascistes, an anti-fascist organization created…
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1872
Slovenian architect, designed Plečnik Parliament (died 1957)
Jože Plečnik was a Slovenian architect who had a major impact on the modern architecture of Vienna, Prague and of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, most notably by designing the iconic Triple Bridge and the Slovenian…
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1872
German chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1954)
Otto Paul Hermann Diels was a German chemist. His most notable work was done with Kurt Alder on the Diels–Alder reaction, a method for cyclohexene synthesis. The pair was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1950 for…
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1876
English composer (died 1960)
Rutland Boughton was an English composer who became well known in the early 20th century as a composer of opera and choral music. He was also an influential communist activist within the Communist Party of Great…
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1878
Mexican politician (died 1967)
Antonio Díaz Soto y Gama was a Mexican politician. He fought for Emiliano Zapata in the 1910–1917 Revolution and later served in Congress and in the cabinet of President Lázaro Cárdenas.
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1880
1889
Indian author (died 1988)
Jyotirmoyee Devi (1894–1988) was an Indian writer in the early twentieth century. She wrote predominantly about women in the Rajasthan of her childhood and in what is now West Bengal at the time of Partition.
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1894
1896
1896
Indian freedom fighter and politician (died 1945)
Subhas Chandra Bose was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist whose defiance of British authority in India made him a hero among many Indians, but his wartime alliances with Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan left a…
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1897
Austrian architect (died 2000)
Margarete "Grete" Schütte-Lihotzky was an Austrian architect and a communist activist in the Austrian resistance to Nazism. She is mostly remembered today for designing what is known as the Frankfurt kitchen.
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1897
Lithuanian author (died 1978)
Ieva Simonaitytė or Ewa Simoneit was a Lithuanian writer. She represented the culture of Lithuania Minor and Klaipėda Region, territories of German East Prussia with historically large, but dwindling, Lithuanian…
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1897
Canadian captain and spy (died 1989)
Sir William Samuel Stephenson was a Canadian soldier, fighter pilot, businessman and spymaster who served as the senior representative of the British Security Coordination (BSC) for the Western Allies during World War…
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1897
German violinist (died 1948)
Alwin Georg Kulenkampff-Post (23 January 1898 – 4 October 1948) was a German virtuoso violinist. One of the most popular German concert violinists of the 1930s and 1940s, he was considered one of the finest violinists…
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1898
American actor (died 1987)
George Randolph Scott was an American film actor, whose Hollywood career spanned from 1928 to 1962. As a leading man for all but the first three years of his cinematic career, Scott appeared in dramas, comedies,…
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1898
English scholar and author (died 1978)
Winifred Utley, commonly known as Freda Utley, was an English scholar, political activist and best-selling author. After visiting the Soviet Union in 1927 as a trade union activist, she joined the Communist Party of…
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1898
English racing driver and pilot (died 1931)
George Pearson Glen Kidston was a British motor racing driver and aviator who completed a record-breaking flight from Netheravon, Wiltshire to Cape Town, South Africa, in 1931. He was one of the "Bentley Boys".
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1899
Welsh organist and conductor (died 1988)
William Ifor Jones was a Welsh conductor and organist. Born into a large coal-mining family and raised in Merthyr Tydfil, Jones studied at the Royal Academy of Music as a scholarship student in London from 1920 to 1925.…
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1900
American businessman (died 1983)
Arthur Michael Wirtz was an American entrepreneur. He was the founder of Wirtz Corporation, a holding company that owned Chicago Stadium, the Bismarck Hotel in Chicago, the Chicago Black Hawks, and the Chicago Bulls. He…
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1901
Colombian lawyer and politician, 16th Minister of National Education of Colombia (died 1948)
Jorge Eliécer Gaitán Ayala was a Colombian politician and statesman who was the leader of the Liberal Party. A nationalist, he served as the mayor of Bogotá from 1936–37, the national Education Minister from 1940–41,…
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1903
German sprinter (died 2000)
Erich Borchmeyer was a German athlete, who competed mainly in the 100 metres.
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1905
American actor and singer (died 1968)
Dan Duryea was an American actor in film, stage, and television. Known for portraying villains, he had a long career in a variety of leading and secondary roles.
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1907
Japanese physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1981)
Hideki Yukawa was a Japanese theoretical physicist who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1949 "for his prediction of the existence of mesons on the basis of theoretical work on nuclear forces."
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1907
Belgian guitarist and composer (died 1953)
Jean Reinhardt, known by his Romani nickname Django, was a Belgian-born Romani jazz guitarist and composer who lived most of his life in France. He was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe and has…
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1910
Russian director and manager (died 2009)
Boris Aleksandrovich Pokrovsky was a Soviet and Russian opera director and pedagogue, best known as the stage director of the Bolshoi Theatre between 1943 and 1982.
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1912
1913
American businessman, founded the National Hot Rod Association (died 2007)
Wallace Gordon Parks was an American writer. He was the founder, president, and chairman of the National Hot Rod Association, better known as NHRA. He was instrumental in establishing drag racing as a legitimate amateur…
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1913
Austrian javelin thrower and handball player (died 2003)
Hermine "Herma" Bauma was an Austrian athlete who competed mainly in the javelin. She also was famous for playing handball.
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1915
Saint Lucian-Barbadian economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1991)
Sir William Arthur Lewis was a Saint Lucian economist and the James Madison Professor of Political Economy at Princeton University. Lewis remains the only black person to have won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic…
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1915
American lawyer and judge (died 1985)
Potter Stewart was an American lawyer and judge who was an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1958 to 1981. During his tenure, he made major contributions to criminal justice reform, civil rights,…
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1915
American photographer and journalist (died 2018)
David Douglas Duncan was an American photojournalist, known for his dramatic combat photographs, as well as for his extensive domestic photography of Pablo Picasso and his wife Jacqueline.
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1916
English colonel, lawyer, and politician, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (died 1979)
Lieutenant Colonel Airey Middleton Sheffield Neave was a British soldier, lawyer and Member of Parliament (MP) from 1953 until his assassination in 1979.
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1916
American biochemist and pharmacologist, Nobel Prize laureate (died 1999)
Gertrude "Trudy" Belle Elion was an American biochemist and pharmacologist, who shared the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with George H. Hitchings and Sir James Black for their use of innovative methods of…
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1918
Executed Irish Republican (died 1944)
Charlie Kerins was a physical force Irish Republican, and Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Kerins was one of six IRA men who were executed by the Irish State between September 1940 and December 1944.…
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1918
American social worker and theorist (died 2008)
Florence Rush was an American certified social worker, feminist theorist and organizer best known for introducing The Freudian Coverup in her presentation "The Sexual Abuse of Children: A Feminist Point of View", about…
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1918
Canadian-American actress (died 2011)
Frances Evelyn Bay was a Canadian and American character actress and comedian. In a career that spanned 80 years, she acted in a variety of roles both in film and television. Bay was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame…
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1919
1919
American actor and game show host (died 1962)
Ernest Edward Kovacs was an American comedian, actor, and writer.
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1919
English footballer and manager (died 1996)
Robert Paisley was an English professional football manager and player who played as a wing-half. He spent almost 50 years with Liverpool and is regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time. Reluctantly taking…
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1919
German architect (died 2021)
Gottfried Böhm was a German architect and sculptor. His reputation is based on creating highly sculptural buildings made of concrete, steel, and glass. Böhm's first independent building was the Cologne chapel "Madonna…
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1920
Swedish runner (died 2000)
Knut Henry "Krylbo" Eriksson was a Swedish middle-distance runner who specialized in the 1500 m event. In 1946 he finished second behind Lennart Strand, both at the national and European Championships. On 15 July 1947,…
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1920
American businessman, invented the Frisbee (died 2010)
Walter Frederick Morrison was an American inventor and entrepreneur, who invented the Frisbee.
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1920
American painter and academic (died 2004)
Leon Golub was an American painter. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, where he also studied, receiving his BA at the University of Chicago in 1942, and his BFA and MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in…
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1922
Australian politician, 33rd Premier of New South Wales (died 2016)
Thomas Lancelot Lewis was a New South Wales politician who served as the 33rd Premier of New South Wales from 1975 to 1976, and served as a minister in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin and Sir Eric Willis. He became…
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1922
American runner (died 2018)
Horace Ashenfelter III was an American athlete. He competed in international athletics from 1947 to 1956. He won fifteen AAU nationals titles and three collegiate national titles during his career.
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1923
Jr., American soldier and author (died 1996)
Walter Michael Miller Jr. was an American science fiction writer. He wrote short stories that became a celebrated fix-up novel, A Canticle for Leibowitz (1959). His only novel published in his lifetime, it won the 1961…
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1923
American soldier, businessman, and politician (died 2013)
Frank Raleigh Lautenberg was an American businessman and Democratic Party politician who served as United States Senator from New Jersey from 1982 to 2001, and again from 2003 until his death in 2013. He was originally…
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1924
American pianist, composer, producer, and conductor (died 1995)
Martin Louis Paich was an American pianist, composer, arranger, record producer, music director, and conductor. As a musician and arranger he worked with jazz musicians Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Kenton, Al Hirt,…
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1925
Indian journalist, cartoonist, and politician (died 2012)
Bal Keshav Thackeray, also known as Balasaheb Thackeray, was an Indian cartoonist and politician who founded the original Shiv Sena, a right-wing Marathi regionalist and a Hindu nationalist party, active mainly in the…
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1926
Swedish-American businessman and explorer (died 1994)
Lars-Eric Lindblad was a Swedish-American entrepreneur and explorer, who pioneered tourism to many remote and exotic parts of the world. He led the first tourist expedition to Antarctica in 1966 in a chartered Argentine…
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1927
Australian painter (died 1982)
Frederick Ronald Williams was an Australian painter and printmaker. He was one of Australia's most important artists, and one of the twentieth century's major landscapists. He had more than seventy solo exhibitions…
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1927
French actress (died 2017)
Jeanne Moreau was a French actress, singer, screenwriter, director, and socialite. She made her theatrical debut in 1947, and established herself as one of the leading actresses of the Comédie-Française.
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1928
American journalist and sportscaster (died 2008)
Myron Sidney Kopelman, known professionally as Myron Cope, was an American sports journalist, radio personality, and sportscaster. He is best known for being "the voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers".
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1929
Ukrainian religious leader, Patriarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate (died 2026)
Patriarch Filaret was a Ukrainian religious leader, serving as the primate and Patriarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church–Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC–KP). The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), which he left in 2019, viewed…
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1929
Australian journalist, author, and critic (died 2016)
Phillip George Knightley was an Australian journalist, critic, and non-fiction author. He became a visiting Professor of Journalism at the University of Lincoln, England, and was a media commentator on the intelligence…
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1929
German-Canadian chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
John Charles Polanyi is a German-born Canadian chemist. He was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research in chemical kinetics.
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1929
Russian child diarist (died 1944)
Tatyana Nikolayevna Savicheva, commonly referred to as Tanya Savicheva, was a Soviet Russian teenage diarist who wrote a diary for several months, whilst enduring the siege of Leningrad during World War II. During the…
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1930
Australian tennis player (died 2017)
Mervyn Gordon Rose AM was an Australian male tennis player who won seven Grand Slam titles.
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1930
Saint Lucian poet and playwright, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2017)
Sir Derek Alton Walcott was a Saint Lucian poet and playwright.
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1930
Polish operatic soprano (died 2021)
Teresa Żylis-Gara was a Polish operatic soprano who enjoyed a major international career from the 1950s through the 1990s.
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1930
English footballer (died 2016)
George Henry Allen was an English footballer who played more than 250 games in the Football League.
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1932
American actress and dancer (died 2013)
Larri Thomas was an American actress and dancer. She began her career by participating in a string of television commercials and eventually signed a contract with NBC. The network put on Thomas' shows, including Peter…
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1932
Australian politician, 21st Governor General of Australia (died 2023)
William George Hayden was an Australian politician who served as the 21st governor-general of Australia from 1989 to 1996. He was Leader of the Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1977 to 1983, and served as…
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1933
American actress, singer, and dancer (died 2024)
Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero, known professionally as Chita Rivera, was an American actress, singer, and dancer. Rivera received numerous accolades including two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awards, and a Drama…
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1933
American actor and director
Louis Antonio is an American actor and TV director best known for performing in the films Cool Hand Luke and America America. He also starred in two short-lived TV series, Dog and Cat, and Makin' It.
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1934
Canadian journalist and politician (died 2003)
Pierre Bourgault was a politician and essayist, as well as an actor and journalist, from Quebec, Canada. He is most famous as a public speaker who advocated sovereignty for Quebec from Canada.
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1934
Trinidadian sprinter (died 2016)
Michael George Raymond Agostini was a Trinidadian track and field athlete. He was the first athlete from his country to win a gold medal at what is now known as the Commonwealth Games, when he won the 100 yards final in…
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1935
1935
American football player and sportscaster
Gerald Louis Kramer is an American former professional football player, author and sports commentator. He played 11 years as a guard and kicker with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He was…
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1936
1936
Japanese wrestler and promoter, founded All Japan Pro Wrestling (died 1999)
Shohei Baba , best known by his ring name Giant Baba , was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter, and professional baseball player. He is best known as a co-founder of All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), a promotion he…
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1938
German painter and sculptor (died 2026)
Georg Baselitz was a German painter, sculptor and graphic artist. In the 1960s he became well known for his figurative, expressive paintings. In 1969 he began painting his subjects upside down in an effort to overcome…
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1938
American activist (died 1995)
Edward Verne Roberts was an American activist. He was the first wheelchair user to attend the University of California, Berkeley. He was a pioneering leader of the disability rights movement.
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1939
American writer and critic (died 2015)
Alan Stuart Cheuse was an American writer, editor, professor of literature, and radio commentator. A longtime NPR book commentator, he was also the author of five novels, five collections of short stories and novellas,…
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1940
1940
Australian economist and academic
Jock Robert Anderson is an Australian agricultural economist, specialising in agricultural development economics, risk and decision theory, and international rural development policy. Born in Monto, Queensland, he…
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1941
Brazilian journalist, author, and academic (died 2014)
João Ubaldo Ribeiro was a Brazilian writer, journalist, screenwriter and professor. Several of his books and short stories have been turned into movies and TV series in Brazil. Ribeiro was a member of the Brazilian…
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1941
Australian cricketer
Lawrence Charles Mayne is a former Australian cricketer who played in six Test matches between 1965 and 1970.
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1942
Mongolian politician, 1st President of Mongolia (died 2025)
Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat was a Mongolian politician who served as the first president of Mongolia from 1990 to 1997. He was the first president to be elected by direct popular vote.
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1942
Dutch judge and politician
Herman Diederik Tjeenk Willink is a retired Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) and jurist. He was granted the honorary title of Minister of State on 21 December 2012.
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1942
American musician
Gary Burton is an American retired jazz vibraphonist, composer, and educator. Burton developed a pianistic style of four-mallet technique as an alternative to the prevailing two-mallet technique. This approach caused…
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1943
American actor (died 2025)
Gilbert Cyril Gerard was an American actor, whose roles include that of Captain William "Buck" Rogers in the 1979–1981 television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.
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1943
Turkish basketball player and businessman (died 2010)
Özhan Canaydın was a businessman, basketballer and former chairman of the Turkish sports club Galatasaray.
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1943
Dutch actor, director, and producer (died 2019)
Rutger Oelsen Hauer was a Dutch actor, with a career that spanned over 170 roles across nearly 50 years, beginning in 1969. In 1999, he was named by the Dutch public as the Best Dutch Actor of the Century.
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1944
Canadian politician, 22nd Premier of Ontario
Michael Deane Harris is a retired Canadian politician who served as the 22nd premier of Ontario from 1995 to 2002 and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario from 1990 to 2002. Taking the PC Party to the…
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1945
Nicaraguan lawyer and politician, President of Nicaragua
José Arnoldo Alemán Lacayo is a Nicaraguan politician who served as the president of Nicaragua from 10 January 1997 to 10 January 2002. In 2003, he was convicted of corruption and sentenced to a 20-year prison term; the…
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1946
Russian-English businessman and mathematician (died 2013)
Boris Abramovich Berezovsky, also known as Platon Elenin, was a Russian business oligarch, government official, engineer and mathematician and a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He had the federal state…
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1946
Central African politician and diplomat (died 2021)
Marie Charlotte Fayanga was a Central African diplomat and politician.
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1946
American captain and politician, 71st Governor of Delaware
Thomas Richard Carper is an American politician and former military officer who served from 2001 to 2025 as a United States senator from Delaware. A member of the Democratic Party, Carper served from 1983 to 1993 in the…
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1947
Indonesian politician, 5th president of Indonesia
Diah Permata Megawati Setiawati Sukarnoputri is an Indonesian politician who served as the fifth president of Indonesia from 2001 to 2004 and the eighth vice president under President Abdurrahman Wahid from 1999 to…
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1947
American singer-songwriter (died 2022)
Anita Marie Pointer was an American singer and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the vocal group the Pointer Sisters. She co-wrote and was the lead singer on their hit song "Fairytale", which garnered them…
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1948
American nuclear engineer, brewer and author.
Charles N. Papazian is an American nuclear engineer, brewer and author. He founded the Association of Brewers and the Great American Beer Festival, and wrote The Complete Joy of Home Brewing (1984). He is the longtime…
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1949
American actor, producer, and composer
Richard Dean Anderson is an American actor. He began his television career in 1976, playing Jeff Webber in the American soap opera series General Hospital, and then rose to prominence as the lead actor in the television…
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1950
Portuguese actress (died 2018)
Guida Maria was a Portuguese actress. Her career spanned 60 years and included appearances on stage, in film and on television.
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1950
American economist and academic (died 2014)
Suzanne Scotchmer was an American professor of law, economics and public policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and a noted author on many economic subjects. She earned her B.A. from University of Washington…
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1950
Argentinian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and poet (died 2012)
Luis Alberto Spinetta, nicknamed "El Flaco", was an Argentine singer, guitarist, composer, writer and poet. One of the most influential rock musicians of Argentina, he is widely regarded as one of the founders of…
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1950
American airline pilot and safety expert
Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III is an American retired aircraft pilot, diplomat and aviation safety expert, who is best known for his actions as captain of US Airways Flight 1549 on January 15, 2009, when he…
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1951
South African cricketer
Omar Henry is a South African former cricketer who represented South Africa and Scotland at the international level. He played in three Tests and three One Day Internationals for South Africa. He is notable for being…
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1952
Czech ice hockey player
Jaroslav Pouzar is a Czech former professional ice hockey forward. He was selected in the fourth round of the 1982 NHL entry draft, 83rd overall, by the Edmonton Oilers. He won two Stanley Cups with Edmonton in 1984,…
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1952
American composer
John Luther Adams is an American composer. His history of environmental activism informs his music. His orchestral work Become Ocean was awarded the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Music.
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1953
Irish priest, historian, and theologian
Alister Edgar McGrath is an Irish theologian, Anglican priest, intellectual historian, scientist, Christian apologist, and public intellectual. He currently holds the Andreas Idreos Professorship in Science and Religion…
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1953
American politician, 41st Mayor of Los Angeles
Antonio Ramón Villaraigosa is an American politician who served as the 41st Mayor of Los Angeles from 2005 to 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the Majority Leader from 1996 to 1998 and…
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1953
American singer-songwriter and guitarist
Robin Wayne Zander is an American musician who is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Cheap Trick. Zander joined Cheap Trick in 1974 and, as of 2026, remains a member of the band. He was inducted into…
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1953
Australian cricketer
Trevor Victor Hohns is a former Queensland and Australian cricketer who played in seven Test matches as a spin bowler, and was later Australia's chairman of selectors.
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1954
1957
Russian hammer thrower (died 2018)
Sergey Nikolaevich Litvinov was a Russian hammer thrower and athletics coach. He competed at the 1980 Summer Olympics and the 1988 Summer Olympics, missing the 1984 Summer Olympics due to the Soviet boycott, and won a…
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1958
English radio host
Clive Bull is an English radio talk show host, best known for presenting a late-night show on LBC in London.
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1959
Australian cricketer
Gregory Michael Ritchie is a former Australian international cricketer who played in 30 Tests matches and 44 One Day Internationals between 1982 and 1987.
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1960
1961
Russian long jumper
Yelena Sinchukova is a retired Russian athlete who specialised in the long jump. She competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics, as well as two World Championships.
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1961
English composer
David Arnold is an English film composer whose credits include scoring five James Bond films (1997–2008), as well as Stargate (1994), Independence Day (1996), Godzilla (1998), Shaft (2000), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), Four…
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1962
Estonian footballer and coach
Aivar Lillevere is an Estonian football manager and former football player.
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1962
1962
American actor
Boris McGiver is an American actor. He is known for his roles in projects such as Lincoln, House of Cards, The Wire, Killing Kennedy, and Person of Interest.
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1962
American actress
Gail Ann O'Grady is an American actress and producer, best known for her roles on television. Her roles include Donna Abandando in the ABC police drama NYPD Blue, and Helen Pryor in the NBC drama series American Dreams.…
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1963
American singer-songwriter and guitarist
Jonatha Brooke is an American folk rock singer-songwriter and guitarist from Massachusetts, United States. Her music merges elements of folk, rock and pop, often with poignant lyrics and complex harmonies. She has been…
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1964
American actress and producer
Mariska Magdolna Hargitay is an American actress, philanthropist, producer, and director. Hargitay has played Olivia Benson on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit since 1999; Benson is the longest-running character…
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1964
Guyanese economist and politician, 7th President of Guyana
Bharrat Jagdeo is a Guyanese politician who has been serving as Vice President of Guyana since 2020, in the administration of President Irfaan Ali. He had previously also held the office from 1997 until 1999, during the…
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1964
American drummer
Louie Clemente is a former drummer for the Bay Area thrash metal band Testament. He is known for being a part of Testament's original lineup.
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1965
Australian surfer
Damien Hardman, known as The Iceman, is an Australian former surfer from Sydney. He won the Rip Curl Pro twice in 1988 and 1993, and was runner-up three times in 1989, 1991 and 1997, and in 1987/88 and 1991 he won the…
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1966
American basketball player and referee
Haywoode Wilvon Workman is an American former basketball player who is a referee in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
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1966
Australian rugby league player
Owen Cunningham, nicknamed OJ, is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. A Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he played his club football for the Manly…
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1967
Japanese violinist and composer
Taro Hakase is a Japanese musician who specialises as a violinist and composer.
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1968
Czech-Monégasque tennis player
Petr Korda is a Czech former professional tennis player. He was ranked world No. 2 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) in February 1998. Korda won ten singles titles, including the 1998…
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1968
Ukrainian-Russian footballer and manager
Andrei Antanasovich Kanchelskis is a Russian professional football coach and former player who currently manages Russian Second League side Dynamo Bryansk. During his playing career, he won two Premier League titles,…
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1969
Canadian ice hockey player and actor
Brendan Frederick Shanahan is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player. Originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils second overall in the 1987 NHL entry draft, Shanahan played in the National…
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1969
German long jumper
Susen Tiedtke is a German former long jumper, who took part in two editions of the Summer Olympics and won a silver and a bronze medal at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics in 1993 and 1995 respectively.
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1969
Czech ice hockey player
Richard Šmehlík is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the fifth round, 97th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1990 NHL entry draft.
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1970
1970
American football player and coach
Kevin James Mawae is an American former professional football player who was a center in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. Mawae played college football for the LSU Tigers, earning first-team All-SEC…
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1971
New Zealand cricketer and mountaineer
Adam Craig Parore is a New Zealand former wicket-keeper and batsman. He played 78 Test cricket matches for New Zealand and 179 One Day International cricket matches. Parore has been the managing director of financial…
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1971
1971
Scottish actor
Ewen Bremner is a Scottish actor. His roles have included Shawn Nelson in Black Hawk Down, Julien in Julien Donkey-Boy and Daniel "Spud" Murphy in Trainspotting and its 2017 sequel T2 Trainspotting.
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1972
Swedish ice hockey player
Bengt Tomas Holmström is a Swedish former professional ice hockey left winger who played his entire National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Detroit Red Wings, with whom he won four Stanley Cup championships; in…
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1973
English cricketer
Glen Chapple is an English cricket coach and former cricketer. He is an all-rounder, and represented the national team in a One Day International, as well as performing well for Lancashire over many years. He bowled…
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1974
Australian actress
Rebekah Sophie Elmaloglou is an Australian actress, known for her roles as teenage tearaway Sophie Simpson on Home and Away and Terese Willis on Neighbours. She also made guest appearances in E Street, A Country…
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1974
English painter
Richard T. Slone is a British-born artist residing in the United States. He was born in 1974 in Newton-in-Furness, Lancashire, England.
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1974
American actress
Tiffani Amber Thiessen is an American actress. Her roles as Kelly Kapowski on NBC's Saved by the Bell (1989–1993) and its spin-off media, and as Valerie Malone on Fox's Beverly Hills, 90210 (1994–98) established her as…
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1974
American football player
Philip Drury Dawson is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 years. Before that he was an All-American college football player for the Texas…
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1975
American mixed martial artist
Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz is an American former mixed martial artist, politician and professional boxer. He is best known for his career with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC Light…
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1975
American baseball player and scout
Brandon J. Duckworth is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who is currently a scout. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, and Kansas City Royals, and in…
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1976
Norwegian orienteering competitor
Anne Margrethe Hausken Nordberg is a Norwegian orienteering competitor, World champion and European champion. She took the overall victory in the 2008 World Cup.
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1976
American skier
Alexandra Luise Wubbels is an American nurse and former Olympian. As an alpine ski competitor, she was the national champion in both the slalom and giant slalom in 1999, and competed in the 1998 and 2002 Winter Olympics…
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1976
Canadian ice hockey player
Kenneth Scott Hannan is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Hannan was born in Richmond, British Columbia, but grew up in Surrey, British Columbia.
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1979
American basketball player
Larry Darnell Hughes Sr. is an American former professional basketball player. Hughes played for eight different teams during his 14-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Hughes played collegiately…
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1979
Scottish-English fashion designer and journalist
Dawn O'Porter is a British writer, director, and television presenter.
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1979
Venezuelan baseball player and coach
Juan Manuel Rincón is a Venezuelan professional baseball coach and former relief pitcher. Rincón bats and throws right-handed. He throws a low 90s fastball and a mid to low 80s slider. In his career, Rincón posted a…
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1979
Russian basketball player
Maria Alexandrovna Stepanova is a Russian professional and Olympic basketball player. In the United States, she played for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
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1979
Canadian soccer player
Robert Douglas Friend is a Canadian former professional soccer player, the president and co-founder of Vancouver FC, the CEO and co-founder of Pacific FC, the founder of Toca Football Canada, the co-founder of Canadian…
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1981
American actress
Julia Jones is an American actress. She is best known for playing Leah Clearwater in The Twilight Saga film series and Angela Bishop in the television series Dexter: New Blood.
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1981
German singer and songwriter
Oceana Mahlmann is a German singer. Her musical roots are embedded in soul, reggae, hip hop, and funk.
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1982
Dominican baseball player
Wily Modesto Peña Gutierrez is a Dominican former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, Washington Nationals, Arizona Diamondbacks and…
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1982
American sprinter
Andrew Rock is an American sprinter who specializes in the 400 meter dash.
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1982
Panamanian long jumper
Irving Jahir Saladino Aranda is a Panamanian former long jumper. He was Olympic champion, having won at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and remains Panama's first and only Olympic gold medalist. He was world champion in the…
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1983
Dutch footballer
Arjen Robben is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a winger. Known for his dribbling skills, speed, and long-range shots, he is regarded as one of the best players of his generation and one of the…
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1984
1985
Chinese footballer
Dong Fangzhuo is a Chinese former professional footballer who played as a forward.
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1985
1985
Ethiopian runner
Aselefech Mergia Medessa is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who competes in the marathon. She was a bronze medallist in the event at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics. She is a two-time winner of the Dubai…
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1985
American baseball and football player
Jeffrey Alan Samardzija, nicknamed "Shark", is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played college baseball and football for the University of Notre Dame, and was recognized as a two-time football…
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1985
Ethiopian runner
Gelete Burka Bati is an Ethiopian middle-distance and long-distance runner. She was born in Kofele in the Arsi Zone of the Oromia Region, the same district as double Olympic champion Haile Gebrselassie.
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1986
Scottish footballer
Marc James Peter Laird is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Lowland League East club Civil Service Strollers, where he is also assistant manager.
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1986
Spanish footballer
José Enrique Sánchez Díaz, known as José Enrique, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a left-back.
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1986
English footballer
Steven Vincent Taylor is an English former professional footballer and head coach. As a defender, he played over 200 games in the Premier League with Newcastle United, in the span of 13 seasons.
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1986
Swiss skier
Sandro Viletta is a Swiss former World Cup alpine ski racer and Olympic gold medalist.
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1986
Estonian-Finnish ice hockey player
Leonid Aleksandrovich Komarov is a professional ice hockey player who is a forward for Kiekko-Espoo of the Liiga.
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1987
Canadian wrestler
Alexander Freitas is a Canadian professional wrestler best known for his time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling where he is a former Impact Gut Check Winner under the ring name Alex Silva.
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1990
American soccer player
Steven Mitchell Birnbaum is an American former professional soccer player who is currently the sporting director for DC Power FC in the USL Super League. He was captain of and played as a center-back for D.C. United for…
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1991
Japanese model and actress
Reina Triendl is an Austrian-Japanese model, tarento, and actress.
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1992
American baseball player
Addison Wayne Russell is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Piratas de Campeche of the Mexican League. Russell was drafted 11th overall by the Oakland Athletics in the 2012 Major League Baseball draft.…
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1994
American basketball player
Keita Bates-Diop is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is currently an assistant coach for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Ohio State…
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1996
English footballer
Ruben Ira Loftus-Cheek is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club AC Milan and the England national team.
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1996
American rapper (died 2018)
Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy, professionally known as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion…
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1998
French footballer
Alban-Marc Lafont is a professional footballer who plays as goalkeeper for Greek Super League club Panathinaikos, on loan from Ligue 1 club Nantes. Born in Burkina Faso and raised in France, he plays for the Ivory Coast…
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1999
Hungarian rhythmic gymnast
Fanni Pigniczki is a Hungarian rhythmic gymnast. She competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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2000
Serbian tennis player
Olga Danilović is a Serbian professional tennis player. She has a career-high singles ranking of world No. 32 by the WTA, achieved on 14 July 2025 and a best doubles ranking of No. 90, reached on 27 October 2025. She is…
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2001
Croatian footballer
Joško Gvardiol is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or left-back for Premier League club Manchester City and the Croatia national team. Gvardiol is known for his composure, ball-playing…
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2002
Polish footballer
Nicola Zalewski is a professional footballer who plays as a wing-back or attacking midfielder for Serie A club Atalanta. Born in Italy, he plays for the Poland national team.
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2002
Paraguayan footballer
Julio César Enciso Espínola is a Paraguayan professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or left winger for Ligue 1 club Strasbourg and the Paraguay national team.
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2004
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Famous birthdays
Who was born on January 23?
Doutzen Kroes — Dutch fashion model (born 1985)
FeaturedDoutzen Kroes
Birth year1985
Known forShe began her modelling career in 2003, in the Netherlands and was quickly sent by her agency to New York where she was cast by lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret
Birthdays on this date206 (1350 – 2004)
Explore January 23
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Also on January 23 in History
2024
Northwestern Air Flight 738 crashes after takeoff from Fort Smith Airport, Northwest Territories, Canada, killing six people. Wikipedia →
2022
Mutinying Burkinabè soldiers led by Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba depose and detain President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré amid widespread anti-government protests. Wikipedia →
2018
See all events on January 23
A 7.9 Mw earthquake occurs in the Gulf of Alaska. It is tied as the sixth-largest earthquake ever recorded in the United States, but there are no reports of significant damage or fatalities. Wikipedia →
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