Did you know
Famous Birthdays on January 24
220 people
76 – 2012
January 24 has seen 220 notable people enter the world across recorded history — from 76 – 2012. Below are the most significant names born on this date.
By thisDay.info Editorial Team · — Wikipedia
1897 — Paul Fejos
Hungarian-born American director (died 1963)
Did you know
In 1941, he stopped making films altogether and became the director of research and the acting head of the Viking Fund.
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He began to direct films in 1919 or 1920 for Mobil Studios in Hungary until he escaped in 1923 to flee the White Terror and the Horthy regime
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After a number of other successful films, Fejos left America in 1931 to direct sound films in France
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Pál Fejős, known professionally as Paul Fejos, was a Hungarian-American director of feature films and documentaries who worked in a number of countries including the United States
76
English bishop and politician, Lord Chancellor of Great Britain (died 1345)
Richard de Bury, also known as Richard Aungerville or Aungervyle, was an English priest, teacher, bishop, writer, and bibliophile. He was a patron of learning and one of the first English collectors of books. He is…
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1287
Duke of Milan (died 1476)
Galeazzo Maria Sforza was the fifth Duke of Milan from 1466 until 1476. He was born to Francesco Sforza, a popular condottiero and ally of Cosimo de' Medici who would gain the Duchy of Milan in 1450, and Bianca Maria…
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1444
Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Austrian Archduchess (died 1578)
Joanna of Austria was an Archduchess of Austria. By marriage to Francesco I de' Medici, she was the Grand Princess of Tuscany and later the Grand Duchess of Tuscany. One of her daughters was Marie de' Medici, second…
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1547
2nd Earl of Westmorland, English politician (died 1666)
Mildmay Fane, 2nd Earl of Westmorland, styled Lord le Despenser between 1624 and 1628, was an English nobleman, politician and writer.
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1602
Japanese philosopher (died 1682)
Yamazaki Ansai was a Japanese philosopher and scholar. He began his career as a Buddhist monk, but eventually came to follow the teachings of Neo-Confucian Zhu Xi. He combined Neo-Confucian ideas with Shinto to create…
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1619
6th Earl of Dorset, English poet and politician, Lord Chamberlain of Great Britain (died 1706)
Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset was an English politician, courtier and poet.
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1643
English architect and dramatist (died 1726)
Sir John Vanbrugh was an English architect, dramatist and herald, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restoration comedies, The Relapse…
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1664
English playwright and poet (died 1729)
William Congreve was an English playwright and poet. He played a major role in shaping English comedy, and is regarded by literary critics as one of the greatest playwrights of the Restoration period. The popularity of…
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1670
German Lieutenant General (died 1731)
Albert Frederick, Prince of Prussia, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, was a Lieutenant General in the army of the Electorate of Brandenburg-Prussia and Grand Master of the Order of Saint John. In his lifetime he held…
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1672
English bishop (died 1735)
Thomas Tanner was an English antiquary and prelate. He was Bishop of St Asaph from 1732 to 1735.
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1674
German philosopher and academic (died 1754)
Christian Wolff was a German philosopher. Wolff is characterized as one of the most eminent German philosophers between Leibniz and Kant. His life work spanned almost every scholarly subject of his time, displayed and…
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1679
Duke of Württemberg, German noble (died 1737)
Charles Alexander of Württemberg first became a Württemberg Duke in 1698 after his father's death and then went on to govern the Kingdom of Serbia as regent from 1720 until 1733, and then assumed the position of Duke of…
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1684
1705
French monk and organist (died 1779)
François-Lamathe Dom Bédos de Celles de Salelles was a French Benedictine monk best known for being a master pipe organ builder.
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1709
Prussian king (died 1786)
Frederick II was the monarch of Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786. He was the last Hohenzollern monarch titled King in Prussia, declaring himself King of Prussia after annexing Royal Prussia from the…
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1712
French playwright and financier (died 1799)
Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais was a French playwright and diplomat of the Age of Enlightenment. Best known for his three Figaro plays, at various times in his life he was also a watchmaker, inventor, musician,…
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1732
French General of the French Revolution (died 1793)
Jean Nicolas Houchard (24 January 1739 – 17 November 1793) was a French Army officer who served in the French Revolutionary Wars.
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1739
Gustav III, also called Gustavus III, was King of Sweden from 1771 until his assassination in 1792. He was the eldest son of King Adolf Frederick and Queen Louisa Ulrika of Sweden.
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1746
English businessman and politician, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (died 1806)
Charles James Fox, styled The Honourable from 1762, was a British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned 38 years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was the arch-rival of the Tory politician…
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1749
American soldier and surveyor (died 1820)
Andrew Ellicott was an American land surveyor who helped map many of the territories west of the Appalachians, surveyed the boundaries of the District of Columbia, continued and completed Pierre (Peter) Charles…
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1754
French-Ukrainian general and politician (died 1831)
Count Louis Alexandre Andrault de Langeron was a French military figure in the service of, first, the Kingdom of France, and later the Russian Empire.
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1763
German jurist, author, and composer (died 1822)
Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann was a German Romantic author of fantasy and gothic horror, a jurist, composer, music critic and artist. His short story "The Sandman" is seen as a pioneering work of horror fiction, while…
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1776
Croatian archbishop (died 1918)
Josip Stadler was a Bosnian prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the first archbishop of Vrhbosna, from 1881 to his death in 1918. He was the founder of the religious order of the Servants of the Infant Jesus.
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1843
Russian painter (died 1916)
Vasily Ivanovich Surikov was a Russian realist history painter. Many of his works have become familiar to the general public through their use as illustrations.
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1848
English poet and philosopher (died 1889)
Constance Caroline Woodhill Naden was an English writer, poet and philosopher. She studied, wrote and lectured on philosophy and science, alongside publishing two volumes of poetry. Several collected works were…
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1858
American novelist and short story writer (died 1937)
Edith Newbold Wharton was an American writer and designer. Wharton drew upon her insider's knowledge of upper-class New York society to portray, realistically, the lives and morals of the Gilded Age. In 1921, she became…
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1862
French actress, journalist, and activist (died 1936)
Marguerite Durand was a French stage actress, journalist, and a leading suffragette. She founded her own newspaper, and ran for election. She is also known for having a pet lion. The Bibliothèque Marguerite Durand was…
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1864
Estonian lawyer and politician, 1st Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs (died 1920)
Jaan Poska VR III/1 was a lawyer, politician and the foreign minister of Estonia in 1918–1919.
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1866
American educator and missionary (died 1922)
Helena B. Cobb was an American educator and missionary from Georgia. Born in Monroe County, Georgia, she attended Atlanta University and served as an educator and principal at many schools for African Americans in the…
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1869
British biochemist (died 1948)
Marjory Stephenson was a British biochemist. In 1945, she was one of the first two women elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, the other being Kathleen Lonsdale.
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1885
American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (died 1982)
Henry King was an American actor and film director. Widely considered one of the finest and most successful filmmakers of his era, King was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Director and directed seven films…
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1886
1887
Austrian author and screenwriter (died 1960)
Hedwig "Vicki" Baum was an Austrian writer. She is known for the novel Menschen im Hotel, one of her first international successes. It was made into a 1932 film and a 1989 Broadway musical.
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1888
German engineer and businessman, founded the Heinkel Aircraft Manufacturing Company (died 1958)
Dr. Ernst Heinkel was a German aircraft designer, manufacturer, Wehrwirtschaftsführer in Nazi Germany, and member of the Nazi Party. His company Heinkel Flugzeugwerke produced the Heinkel He 178, the world's first…
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1888
Romanian poet and playwright (died 1972)
Victor Eftimiu was a Romanian poet and playwright. He was a contributor to Sburătorul, a Romanian literary magazine. His works have been performed in the State Jewish Theater of Romania.
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1889
American historian and author (died 1923)
Charles Boardman Hawes was an American writer of fiction and nonfiction sea stories, best known for three historical novels. He died suddenly at age 34, after only two of his five books had been published. He was the…
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1889
German general of paratroop forces during World War II (died 1968)
Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke was a German general of paratroop forces during World War II. He led units in Crete, North Africa, Italy, the Soviet Union and France, and was captured by American forces at the conclusion of the…
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1889
German field marshal (died 1945)
Otto Moritz Walter Model was a German Generalfeldmarschall during World War II. Although he was a hard-driving, aggressive panzer commander early in the war, Model became best known as a practitioner of defensive…
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1891
Austrian weightlifter (died 1970)
Franz Aigner was an Austrian weightlifter who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics. He won a silver medal in the heavyweight class.
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1892
German poet and songwriter (died 1976)
Eugen Roth was a Bavarian poet who wrote mostly humorous verse.
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1895
U.S. Air Force general (died 1954)
Hoyt Sanford Vandenberg was a United States Air Force general. He served as the second Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and the second Director of Central Intelligence.
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1899
French writer (died 1969)
René Paul Guillot was a French writer of children's books who lived, worked and travelled in French West Africa.
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1900
South African cricketer (died 1995)
Harry Lawton Calder was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1918, then a 17 year old schoolboy. Calder is the youngest person to receive this accolade, one of the game's top honours, and the only Wisden Cricketer…
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1901
1901
English engineer (died 1973)
Edward Turner was an English motorcycle designer. He was born in Camberwell in the London Borough of Southwark, on the day King Edward VII was proclaimed King.
In 1915, Turner had his first ride on a motorcycle, a Light…
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1901
American lawyer and businessman (died 1995)
James Howard Marshall II was an American businessman, government official, lawyer, and legal scholar. He was involved with and invested in the petroleum industry via his academic, government and commercial endeavors. He…
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1905
American animator and composer (died 1988)
Wilfred Emmons Jackson was an American animator, musical arranger and director best known for his work with Walt Disney Productions.
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1906
French soldier and politician, Prime Minister of France (died 1999)
Jacques-Maurice Couve de Murville was a French diplomat and politician who was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1958 to 1968 and Prime Minister from 1968 to 1969 under the presidency of General de Gaulle. As foreign…
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1907
Swiss composer and musician (died 1994)
Jean Daetwyler was a Swiss composer and musician. He is barely remembered, mostly for his largely forgotten works for alphorn inspired by Jozsef Molnar beginning in 1970. Also inspired by trombonist Branimir Slokar and…
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1907
fourth Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia (died 1979)
Ismail Nasiruddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Zainal Abidin III Mu’azzam Shah was the Sultan of Terengganu from 1945 until his death in 1979, and the fourth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, from 1965 to 1970.
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1907
English author and scholar (died 2005)
Martin Lings, also known as Abū Bakr Sirāj ad-Dīn, was an English writer, Islamic scholar, and philosopher. A student of the Swiss metaphysician Frithjof Schuon and an authority on the work of William Shakespeare, he is…
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1909
Slovak painter (died 2005)
Ester Šimerová-Martinčeková was a Slovak painter, scenic designer and journalist.
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1909
American political activist (died 2010)
Doris "Granny D" Haddock was an American political activist from New Hampshire. Haddock achieved national fame when, between the ages of 88 and 90, starting on January 1, 1999, and culminating on February 29, 2000, she…
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1910
American admiral (died 2005)
Frederick Lincoln "Dick" Ashworth was a United States Navy officer who served as the weaponeer on the B-29 Bockscar that dropped a Fat Man atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan on 9 August 1945 during World War II.
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1912
American organist and composer (died 2008)
Norman Dello Joio was an American composer active for over half a century. Best known for his choral music, he won a Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1957.
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1913
1913
Czech composer and conductor (died 1940)
Vítězslava Kaprálová was a Czech composer and conductor of 20th-century classical music.
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1915
American painter and academic (died 1991)
Robert Motherwell was an American abstract expressionist painter, printmaker, and editor of The Dada Painters and Poets: an Anthology. He was one of the youngest of the New York School, which also included Willem de…
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1915
Venezuelan lawyer and politician, 65th President of Venezuela (died 2009)
Rafael Antonio Caldera Rodríguez was a Venezuelan politician and academician who was the 46th and 51st president of Venezuela from 1969 to 1974 and again from 1994 to 1999, thus becoming the longest serving…
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1916
1916
American actor (died 2012)
Ernest Borgnine was an American actor whose career spanned over six decades. He was noted for his gruff but relaxed voice and gap-toothed Cheshire Cat grin. A popular performer, he appeared as a guest on numerous talk…
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1917
Dutch prelate of the Roman Catholic Church (died 2012)
Wilhelmus Demarteau, M.S.F. was a Dutch prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was one of the oldest Roman Catholic bishops and Dutch bishops.
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1917
American evangelist, founded Oral Roberts University and Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association (died 2009)
Granville Oral Roberts was an American Charismatic Christian televangelist, who was one of the first to propagate Prosperity Gospel Theology. He was ordained in the Pentecostal Holiness Church from 1936 until his…
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1918
Austrian pianist and composer (died 1996)
Gottfried von Einem was an Austrian composer. He is known chiefly for his operas influenced by the music of Stravinsky and Prokofiev, as well as by jazz. He also composed pieces for piano, violin and organ.
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1918
American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (died 1973)
Coleman Chambers Francis was an American actor, writer, producer and director. He was best known for his film trilogy consisting of The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961), The Skydivers (1963) and Red Zone Cuba (1966), all…
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1919
American composer and educator (died 2009)
Leon Kirchner was an American composer of contemporary classical music. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and he won a Pulitzer Prize for his…
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1919
American saxophonist (died 1980)
James Robert Forrest Jr. was an American jazz musician who played tenor saxophone throughout his career.
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1920
American actor (died 2018)
Jerry Maren was an American actor who played a Munchkin member of the Lollipop Guild in the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film The Wizard of Oz. He became the last surviving adult Munchkin following the death of Ruth Duccini…
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1920
French actor and screenwriter (died 2014)
Daniel Boulanger was a French novelist, playwright, poet and screenwriter.
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1922
English footballer (died 1996)
Cornelius "Neil" Franklin was an English footballer who played for Crewe Alexandra, Hull City, Stockport County and Stoke City as well as the England national team.
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1922
Australian rugby league player (died 1991)
Brian Eyrl Bevan, also known by the nickname of "Wing Wizard", was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. He became the only player ever to be inducted into both the…
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1924
Indian politician, 11th Chief Minister of Bihar (died 1988)
Karpoori Thakur was an Indian politician who twice served as the 11th Chief Minister of Bihar, first from December 1970 to June 1971, and then from June 1977 to April 1979. He was popularly known as Jan Nayak. On 26…
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1924
Canadian ice hockey player and coach (died 2015)
James Angus Gerald "Old Hardrock" Mortson was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Black Hawks, and Detroit Red Wings, winning four Stanley…
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1925
American ballerina and actress (died 2013)
Maria Tallchief, born Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief, was an Osage ballerina. She was America's first major prima ballerina and the first Native American to hold the rank. Together with Georgian-American choreographer…
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1925
American sculptor (died 2013)
Ruth Aiko Asawa was an American modernist artist primarily known for her abstract looped-wire sculptures inspired by natural and organic forms. In addition to her three-dimensional work, Asawa created figurative and…
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1926
French director and screenwriter (died 2013)
Georges Lautner (French: [lotnɛʁ]; 24 January 1926 – 22 November 2013 was a French film director and screenwriter, known primarily for his comedies created in collaboration with screenwriter Michel Audiard.
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1926
American politician (died 2009)
Paula Hawkins was an American politician and community activist who represented the state of Florida in the United States Senate from 1981 to 1987. A member of the Republican Party, she was Florida's first female U.S.…
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1927
English zoologist, ethologist, and painter (died 2026)
Desmond John Morris FLS hon. caus. was an English zoologist, ethologist and surrealist painter, as well as a popular author in human sociobiology. He was known for his 1967 book The Naked Ape, and for his television…
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1928
French actor (died 2007)
Michel Serrault was a French stage and film actor who appeared from 1954 until 2007 in more than 130 films.
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1928
New Zealand actor (died 2016)
Terence Bayler was a New Zealand film, television, and stage actor. His most memorable roles were in Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001).
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1930
Iranian-Persian painter and academic (died 2025)
Mahmoud Farshchian was an Iranian painter and educator. He was a master of Persian miniature painting.
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1930
American comic book artist (died 2023)
John Victor Romita was an American comic book artist best known for his work on Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man and for co-creating characters including Mary Jane Watson, the Punisher, Kingpin, Wolverine, and Luke…
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1930
Swedish mathematician and academic (died 2012)
Lars Valter Hörmander was a Swedish mathematician who has been called "the foremost contributor to the modern theory of linear partial differential equations". Hörmander was awarded the Fields Medal in 1962 and the Wolf…
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1931
American producer (died 2019)
Leonard J. Goldberg was an American film and television producer. He had his own production company, Panda Productions. He served as head of programming for ABC, and was president of 20th Century Fox. Goldberg was also…
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1934
Polish poet and dramatist (died 1976)
Stanisław Antoni Grochowiak, pen-name "Kain" was a Polish poet and dramatist. His is often classified as a representative of turpism, because of his interest in the physical, ugly and brutal, but he also exhibits strong…
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1934
Indian religious leader (died 1994)
Shri Shivabalayogi Maharaj was an Indian yogi and spiritual teacher. Devotee and biographical accounts state that he undertook twelve years of tapas, meditating in samādhi for extended periods, and later led public…
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1935
American fiddle player and singer
Douglas James Kershaw is an American fiddle player, singer, and songwriter from Louisiana. Active since 1948, he began his career as part of the duo Rusty and Doug, along with his brother, Rusty Kershaw. He had an…
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1936
Welsh footballer
Leonard Trevor Edwards was a Welsh footballer. A full-back, he played his club football for Charlton Athletic. He was part of the Wales squad for the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden. In the sixties he emigrated to…
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1937
American saxophonist and composer (died 1995)
Julius Arthur Hemphill was a jazz composer and saxophone player. He performed mainly on alto saxophone, less often on soprano and tenor saxophones and flute.
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1938
German shot putter (died 2023)
Renate Boy was a German shot putter, who in 1961 became the first German woman to throw over 17 meters. Garisch-Culmberger competed at the 1960 and 1964 Olympics representing the United Team of Germany and at the 1968…
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1939
American singer-songwriter and actor
Harold Ray Ragsdale, known professionally as Ray Stevens, is an American country singer-songwriter and comedian. He is best known for his Grammy-winning recordings "Everything Is Beautiful" and "Misty", as well as…
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1939
German pastor and politician, 11th President of Germany
Joachim Wilhelm Gauck is a German politician who served as President of Germany from 2012 to 2017. A former Lutheran pastor, he came to prominence as an anti-communist civil rights activist in East Germany.
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1940
American singer-songwriter and guitarist
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 56.5 million records in the US alone, making him one of the best-selling musicians in history.
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1941
American singer
Aaron Joseph Neville is an American singer renowned for his distinctively smooth, vibrato-heavy tenor and a genre-crossing career that spans R&B, soul, gospel, jazz, country, and pop. He gained national prominence with…
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1941
Israeli chemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate
Dan Shechtman is the Philip Tobias Professor of Materials Science at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, an Associate of the US Department of Energy's Ames National Laboratory, and Professor of Materials…
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1941
German Member of the European Parliament
Ingo Friedrich is a former German (Bavarian) Member of the European Parliament. He was elected on the CSU ticket and sits with the EPP-ED Group. Friedrich holds a University degree in Economics. He was a member of…
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1942
1942
English footballer (died 2013)
Kenneth Barry Mealand was an English professional footballer who played as a right back.
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1943
German lawyer and politician, 13th German Federal Minister of Defence (died 2012)
Peter Struck was the German Minister of Defence under chancellor Gerhard Schröder from 2002 to 2005. A lawyer, Struck was a member of the Social Democratic Party.
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1943
American model and actress (died 1969)
Sharon Marie Tate Polanski was an American actress and model. During the 1960s, she appeared in advertisements and small television roles before appearing in films as well as working as a model. After receiving positive…
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1943
English race car driver
Anthony Hugh Leigh Trimmer is a British former racing driver from England, who won the Shell British Formula Three Championship and E.R. Hall Trophy in 1970.
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1943
Spanish footballer (died 2016)
Manuel Velázquez Villaverde was a Spanish footballer who played as a central midfielder.
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1943
American science fiction screenwriter and author
David Gerrold is an American science fiction screenwriter and novelist. He wrote the script for the original Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles", created the Sleestak race on the TV series Land of the Lost,…
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1944
Swiss ski official (died 2021)
Gian Franco Kasper was a Swiss ski official who was president of the International Ski Federation (FIS) from 1998 to 2021. He also served as a member of the International Olympic Committee from 2000 to 2018 and member…
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1944
American football player and politician, 1st United States Deputy Secretary of the Interior
John Raymond Garamendi is an American businessman, politician and member of the Democratic Party who has represented areas of Northern California between San Francisco and Sacramento, including the cities of Fairfield…
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1945
Indian director, producer and screenwriter
Subhash Ghai is an Indian film director, producer, actor, lyricist, music director and screenwriter, primarily known for his work in Hindi cinema. He was one of the most prominent Hindi filmmakers in the 1980s and…
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1945
1945
1946
Italian footballer (died 2012)
Giorgio Chinaglia was an Italian footballer who played as a striker. He grew up and played his early football in Cardiff, Wales, and began his career with Swansea Town in 1964. He later returned to Italy to play for…
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1947
American physicist and academic
Michio Kaku is an American theoretical physicist, science communicator, futurologist, and writer of popular science. He is a professor of theoretical physics at the City College of New York and the CUNY Graduate Center.…
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1947
Japanese baseball player and golfer
Masashi Ozaki was a Japanese professional golfer. Ozaki is often known as Jumbo Ozaki on account of his height and length off the tee. He featured in the top ten of the Official World Golf Rankings for almost 200 weeks…
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1947
American singer-songwriter (died 2003)
Warren William Zevon was an American rock singer and songwriter. His most famous compositions include "Werewolves of London", "Lawyers, Guns and Money" and "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner". All three songs are…
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1947
the 26th Marquis Des Barres, English musician, actor, and DJ
Michael Philip Des Barres, 26th Marquis Des Barres, is an English actor and rock singer. He appeared as Murdoc in the original MacGyver, Lenny Stoke in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and Murdoc's mentor…
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1948
American actor and screenwriter (died 1982)
John Adam Belushi was an American actor, comedian, and musician. He was one of seven Saturday Night Live cast members of the first season. Belushi had a partnership with Dan Aykroyd; they had first met while at…
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1949
American lawyer
Barton Jennings Gordon is an American politician and former U.S. representative for Tennessee's 6th congressional district, serving from 1985 until 2011. The district includes several rural areas and fast-growing…
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1949
Russian athlete and mother of Russian tennis player Nadia Petrova (died 2013)
Nadezhda Ilyina was a Russian athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.
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1949
Japanese voice actress
Rihoko Yoshida is a Japanese businesswoman and a former voice actress. Among her most noteworthy roles are Megu-chan in Majokko Megu-chan, Monsley in Future Boy Conan, Maria Grace Fleed in UFO Robo Grendizer, Michiru…
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1949
French actor, director, and screenwriter
Daniel Auteuil is a French actor and director who has appeared in a wide range of film genres, including period dramas, romantic comedies, and crime thrillers. In 1996 he won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film…
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1950
Ukrainian-American comedian and actor
Yakov Naumovich Pokhis, better known as Yakov Smirnoff, is an American comedian, actor and writer. He began his career as a stand-up comedian in the Soviet Union, then immigrated to the United States in 1977 in order to…
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1951
Russian violinist, viola player, and conductor
Yuri Abramovich Bashmet is a Russian conductor, violinist, and violist.
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1953
South Korean politician, 19th President of South Korea
Moon Jae-in is a South Korean politician and lawyer who served as the 12th president of South Korea from 2017 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), he was the party's leader from 2015 to 2016, and…
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1953
Austrian race car driver (died 1986)
Josef Anton Gartner was a Formula One and sports car endurance driver from Austria. After a successful lower formula career, including a win in the Formula Two Pau Grand Prix, he participated in eight Formula One Grands…
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1954
American swimmer
James Paul Montgomery is an American former competition swimmer, four-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder. Montgomery was the first man to break the 50-second barrier (49.99) in the 100-meter…
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1955
American physicist and author
Alan David Sokal is an American professor of mathematics at University College London and professor emeritus of physics at New York University. He works with statistical mechanics and combinatorics.
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1955
American businesswoman and author
Lynda Susan Weinman is an artist, American business owner, computer instructor, and author, who founded an online software training website, lynda.com, with her husband, Bruce Heavin. Lynda.com was acquired by online…
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1955
governor of Bank Indonesia
Agus Dermawan Wintarto Martowardojo is an Indonesian economist and banker who served as Governor of Bank Indonesia, Indonesia's central bank, from 2013 to 2018. Previously, he served as Minister of Finance from 2010 to…
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1956
American basketball player and sportscaster (died 2021)
Mark Edward Eaton was an American professional basketball player who spent his entire career (1982–1993) with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Named an NBA All-Star in 1989, he was twice voted…
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1957
English comedian and musician
Adrian Charles Edmondson is an English actor, comedian, musician, writer and television presenter, who came to fame as part of the alternative comedy boom in the early 1980s. He and his comedy partner Rik Mayall starred…
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1957
Korean wrestler (died 2014)
Kim Eui-kon was a Korean wrestler who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics.
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1958
English singer-songwriter and pianist
Julian Miles Holland is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer and television presenter. He was an original member of the rock band Squeeze. From 1982 until 1987, he co-presented the Channel 4 music programme…
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1958
German biathlete
Frank Ullrich is a German politician of the SPD and former biathlete and trainer of the German national team. Since 2021, he has been a member of the Bundestag.
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1958
Japanese wrestler, mixed martial artist, and actor
Akira Maeda is a Japanese mixed martial arts promoter, writer and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Maeda was also known by the ring name Kwik-kik-Lee during his time on the British wrestling's…
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1959
Belgian footballer and manager
Michel Georges Jean Ghislain Preud'homme is a Belgian retired footballer and manager who played as a goalkeeper. Currently, he is vice-president and sports director at Standard Liège.
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1959
1960
Uruguayan footballer
Jorge Wálter Barrios Balestrasse is a retired football midfielder from Uruguay, who was nicknamed "Chifle" during his professional career. Having made his official debut on July 18, 1980 against Peru (0-0), Barrios…
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1961
German footballer and manager
Guido Ulrich Buchwald is a German former professional football player. Throughout his career he played as a defender. He is currently director of football of Stuttgarter Kickers.
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1961
German ski racer
Christa Kinshofer-Rembeck is a German former alpine ski racer and businesswoman. In her career she won three Olympic medals, one World Championship medal and seven World Cup races.
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1961
German-American actress and producer
Nastassja Aglaia Kinski is a German actress and former model who has appeared in more than 60 films in Europe and the United States. Her worldwide breakthrough was with Stay as You Are (1978). She then came to global…
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1961
Belgian runner
William Van Dijck is a Belgian former athlete, primarily active on the 3000m steeplechase.
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1961
Dutch boxer
Arnold Petrus Maria Vanderlyde is a Dutch former amateur boxer, who participated in three Summer Olympics and won three bronze medals in the heavyweight division (≤91 kg). He started boxing at age fifteen. Although…
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1963
American wrestler (died 2007)
Michael Lee Alfonso was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances with the American professional wrestling promotions Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), World Championship Wrestling…
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1965
Brazilian-American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
Carlos Saldanha is a Brazilian animator, director, producer, and voice actor of animated films who collaborated with Blue Sky Studios until its closure in 2021. He was the director of Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006), Ice…
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1965
New Zealand singer-songwriter (died 2022)
Margaret Mary Urlich was a New Zealand singer who lived in Australia for most of her career.
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1965
Greek footballer and manager
Pagonis Vakalopoulos is a retired Greek footballer. He started his career in Polykastro, spent most of his career with Iraklis with which he won Balkans Cup and finished his playing career with Panionios. Currently he…
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1965
French actress
Julie Dreyfus is a French actress. In Japan, she made her television debut on a French-language lesson program on NHK's educational channel in the late 1980s. She has appeared on the TV show Ryōri no Tetsujin as a guest…
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1966
French actress
Karin Viard is a French actress. She made her film debut in Tatie Danielle in 1990. She has appeared in films such as Delicatessen, L'Emploi du temps, Adultère, mode d'emploi and La parenthèse enchantée.
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1966
German singer
Michael Kiske is a German singer who is the co-lead vocalist for the power metal band Helloween. Kiske has also released four solo albums, two albums with the hard rock band Unisonic, has participated on various metal…
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1967
American actor and comedian
Phil LaMarr is an American actor and comedian. He was one of the original featured cast members on the sketch comedy television series Mad TV, where he stayed for five seasons. His voice acting roles in animated series…
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1967
Spanish cyclist
Fernando Escartín Coti is a Spanish former road racing cyclist. Between 1995 and 2000 he came in the top 10 of the Tour de France five times and in that same time period finished on the podium in 2nd place at the Vuelta…
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1968
Ukrainian footballer
Tymerlan Rustamovych Huseynov is a former Ukrainian footballer of Kumyk origin who is now sporting director of FC Dniester Ovidiopol. He was the Ukrainian Premier League's top goalscorer in the 1993–94 and 1995–96…
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1968
American theoretical physicist
Antony Garrett Lisi, known as Garrett Lisi, is an American theoretical physicist. Lisi works as an independent researcher without an academic position.
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1968
American gymnast
Mary Lou Retton is an American retired gymnast. At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, she won a gold medal in the individual all-around competition, as well as two silver medals and two bronze medals, which earned…
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1968
South Korean actress
You Ho-jeong is a South Korean actress. She made her acting debut in 1991 and has been starring in television and film since. Roles include a divorcee whose husband lives next door in daily drama Definitely Neighbors…
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1969
Brazilian religious leader, Bishop of Montenegro
Carlos Rômulo Gonçalves e Silva is the bishop of Montenegro, a suffragan Latin diocese in the ecclesiastical province of its mother see, the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Porto Alegre in Rio Grande do Sul state,…
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1969
Argentine footballer
Roberto Oscar Bonano is an Argentine retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
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1970
1970
Zimbabwean cricketer
Neil Clarkson Johnson is a former Zimbabwean international cricketer who played 13 Test matches and 48 One Day Internationals between 1998 and 2000. An all-rounder, he bowled right-arm fast-medium and played in the…
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1970
American actor
Matthew Lyn Lillard is an American actor, director, and producer. His early film roles include the black comedy Serial Mom (1994) and the crime thriller Hackers (1995). He achieved a career breakthrough for his…
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1970
Bolivian footballer
José Carlos Fernández González is a Bolivian retired football goalkeeper who is currently active as director of football of Bolivian club Bolívar.
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1971
1972
French rally racer
Cyril Despres is a French rally racer and resident of Andorra. He won the Dakar Rally five times, in 2005, 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2013, riding a KTM motorcycle. He also won the Red Bull Romaniacs, an enduro event, three…
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1974
1974
Australian actress and singer
Melissa Natalie Tkautz is an Australian actress, singer, model, and presenter. She played the role of Nikki Spencer on the popular Australian TV soap opera E Street, from September 1990 to May 1993. During the early…
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1974
1974
Italian former professional basketball player
Gianluca Basile is an Italian former professional basketball player. At a height of 1.92 m tall and a weight of 95 kg (210 lbs.), he mainly played at the shooting guard position. He is considered one of the best 1990s…
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1975
Costa Rican footballer and manager
Rónald Gómez Gómez is a Costa Rican former football forward and manager. He is the current manager for Liga Nacional club Coatepeque Fútbol Club.
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1975
1975
1975
Canadian ice dancer, coach, and choreographer
Shae-Lynn Bourne is a Canadian ice dancer and choreographer. In 2003, she and partner Victor Kraatz became the first North American ice dancers to win a World Championship. They competed at three Winter Olympic Games,…
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1976
Belgian cyclist
Cindy Pieters is a professional racing cyclist, who specialized in one day races She competed in the women's individual road race at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
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1976
Serbian volleyball player
Andrija Gerić is a retired Serbian volleyball player who played on middle blocker position. Both in the club and in the national team he wore number 12.
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1977
Swiss-Dutch actress, model and singer
Michelle Yvonne Hunziker is a Swiss and Italian television presenter and former model. She hosted the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel alongside Hazel Brugger and Sandra Studer.
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1977
Belgian actress and singer
Veerle Baetens is a Belgian actress, filmmaker, and singer best known for her lead role as Elise / Alabama in the romantic drama film The Broken Circle Breakdown (2012), for which she won the Tribeca Film Festival Award…
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1978
Canadian actor and musician
Mark Hildreth is a Canadian actor and singer, appearing in movie and television roles. A graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, Mark Hildreth's theater credits include Hamlet , Bertram in All's Well that…
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1978
American actress, voice artist, comedian and writer
Kristen Joy Schaal is an American actress, comedian, and writer. Known for her distinctive high-pitched, childlike voice, she voices Louise Belcher in Bob's Burgers and voiced Mabel Pines in Gravity Falls. She also…
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1978
American actress and singer
Tatyana Marisol Ali is an American actress and singer best known for her role as Ashley Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1990 to 1996. She starred as Tyana Jones on the TV One original series…
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1979
Argentinian footballer
Leandro Desábato, nicknamed Chavo, is an Argentine football manager and former player. He is the manager of Almagro.
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1979
Jamaican dancehall reggae artist
Reanno Devon Gordon, better known by his stage name Busy Signal, is a Jamaican dancehall reggae artist.
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1979
American acrobat
Nikolas Wallenda is an American acrobat, aerialist, daredevil, high wire artist, and author. He is known for his high-wire performances without a safety net. He holds 11 Guinness World Records for various acrobatic…
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1979
Spanish footballer
Jofre Mateu González, known simply as Jofre, is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played as a left midfielder.
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1980
1980
American actress
Carrie Alexandra Coon is an American actress. She has received a Critics' Choice Television Award, as well as nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award.
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1981
Swiss footballer
Mario Eggimann is a Swiss former footballer who played as a defender. He also earned caps for the Swiss national team.
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1981
Azerbaijani footballer and manager
Zaur Hashimov is an Azerbaijani football manager and former player who played as a defender.
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1981
Kazakhstani cross country skier
Elena Vladimirovna Kolomina is a Kazakhstani cross-country skier who has been competing since 1998. She finished fifth in the team sprint at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 in Sapporo and had her best…
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1981
Italian footballer
Davide Biondini is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
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1983
New Zealand rugby player
Wyatt William Vogels Crockett is a former New Zealand rugby union player. He played at prop for the Crusaders in Super Rugby, Canterbury and Tasman in the National Provincial Championship, and the New Zealand national…
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1983
Scottish footballer
Shaun Richard Maloney is a football coach, and former player who is currently interim assistant manager at Scottish Premiership side Celtic.
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1983
American race car driver
Scott Andrew Speed is an American race car driver who has competed in numerous disciplines, including open-wheel, stock car, and rallycross racing.
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1983
American actor, director, and producer
Justin Louis Baldoni is an American actor and director. He is best known for playing Rafael Solano on the CW telenovela Jane the Virgin (2014–2019) and for starring in and directing the romantic drama film It Ends with…
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1984
Portuguese footballer
Paulo Sérgio Moreira Gonçalves, known as Paulo Sérgio, is a Portuguese former footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or right winger.
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1984
Brazilian singer-songwriter (died 2015)
Cristiano de Melo Araújo was a Brazilian singer-songwriter.
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1986
English-American actress
Mischa Anne Marsden Barton is a British and American film, television, and stage actress. She began her career on the stage, appearing in Tony Kushner's Slavs! and took the lead in James Lapine's Twelve Dreams at New…
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1986
American baseball player
Cole Tyler Flowers is an American former professional baseball catcher. Flowers was drafted by the Braves in the 33rd round of the 2005 MLB draft. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox from…
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1986
Russian footballer
Vladislav Ivanov is a Russian former professional footballer. He played the position of midfielder and forward.
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1986
English footballer
Michael John Kightly is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger, most notably for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley FC.
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1986
American football coach
Sean Patrick McVay is an American professional football coach who is the head coach for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He became the youngest NFL head coach in the modern era when he was…
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1986
Israeli-American actor
Raviv Chanan "Ricky" Ullman is an Israeli actor. He is best known for playing Phil Diffy, the main character in the Disney Channel series Phil of the Future.
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1986
American football player
Brian Patrick Cushing is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans, and was…
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1987
Uruguayan footballer
Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a striker for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami. He is regarded as one of the best players of his generation and one of the greatest…
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1987
American-Czech basketball player
Kia Vaughn is an American-born former professional basketball player. She last played for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) She attended high school at St. Michael's All Girls High…
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1987
1987
1988
American basketball player
DaJuan Michael Summers is an American professional basketball player for Piratas de La Guaira of the Superliga Profesional de Baloncesto (SPB). He played college basketball for the Georgetown Hoyas. In the 2009 NBA…
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1988
Turkish footballer
Serdar Kesimal is a Turkish footballer who plays as a centre back. Kesimal is also a youth international, having been capped at the U-20 and U-21 levels.
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1989
Chinese shot putter
Gong Lijiao is a Chinese former Olympic shot putter and the 2020 Olympic champion in that event. A five-time Olympic player and a three-time Olympic medalist, she holds a record eight successive medals at the World…
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1989
American baseball player
Whitley David Merrifield is an American former professional baseball second baseman and outfielder who played nine seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia…
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1989
Colombian baseball player
José Guillermo Quintana is a Colombian-American professional baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles…
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1989
South Korean footballer
Ki Sung-yueng is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for K League 1 club Pohang Steelers.
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1989
1990
Ukrainian Greco-Roman wrestler
Zhan Vensanovych Beleniuk is a Ukrainian politician and Greco-Roman wrestler. He is a three-time Olympic medalist and won the gold medal in the Greco-Roman 87 kg at the 2020 Summer Olympics, the silver medal in the…
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1991
Russian weightlifter
Tatiana Yuryevna Kashirina is a Russian Olympic weightlifter, Olympic silver medalist, five time World Champion and eight time European Champion competing in the +90 kg and +75 kg categories until 2018 and +87 kg…
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1991
Canadian ice hockey player
Zack Adam Kassian is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. He most recently played for HC Sparta Praha in the Czech Extraliga. During his major junior career, he won a Memorial Cup with the Windsor Spitfires…
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1991
Moldovan footballer
Vitalie Damașcan is a Moldovan professional footballer who plays as a forward for Israeli Premier League club Maccabi Bnei Reineh and the Moldova national team.
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1999
1999
American football player
Tristan Patrick Wirfs is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes, and was selected in the…
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1999
Canadian singer and songwriter
John Vincent Orlando is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and actor. He first received attention on social media by posting covers of pop songs by artists such as Austin Mahone, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and…
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2003
Countess Athena of Monpezat is a member of the Danish royal family. She is the younger child and only daughter of Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark. She is the youngest grandchild of Queen Margrethe II and…
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2012
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Who was born on January 24?
Paul Fejos — Hungarian-American filmmaker and anthropologist
FeaturedPaul Fejos
Birth year1897
Known forHe also studied medicine in his youth and became a prominent anthropologist later in life
Birthdays on this date220 (76 – 2012)
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Also on January 24 in History
2026
At least 70 people are killed and 10 others missing after major landslides in West Java, Indonesia. Wikipedia →
2024
An Ilyushin Il-76 crashes in Russia's Korochansky District, killing all 74 people on board. Wikipedia →
2018
See all events on January 24
Former doctor Larry Nassar is sentenced up to 175 years in prison after being found guilty of using his position to sexually abuse female gymnasts. Wikipedia →
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