Famous Birthdays on July 31

Q: Who was born on July 31?

Famous people born on July 31 include: Emperor Nijō of Japan (died 1165), Philip III, Augustus, Maximilian II, Philipp Wolfgang.

Q: What is DeMarcus Ware known for?

DeMarcus Ware, American football player

1982 — DeMarcus Ware

American football player

July 31 has seen 210 notable people enter the world across recorded history — from 1143 – 2003. Below are the most significant names born on this date.

By thisDay.info Editorial Team · July 31 — Wikipedia

Famous Birthdays 210 people 1143 – 2003

Did you know

He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft

Did you know

Ware then played three seasons for the Denver Broncos, with whom he won Super Bowl 50 over the Carolina Panthers

Did you know

He switched positions from defensive end to linebacker in the Dallas Cowboy 3-4 defense

Did you know

After spending nine seasons with the Cowboys, Ware departed in 2013 as the franchise's all-time leader in quarterback sacks with 117

Did you know

After the 2016 season with the Broncos, he announced his retirement from the NFL

Emperor Nijō of Japan (died 1165)

Emperor Nijō was the 78th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1158 through 1165.

1143

Philip III

Duke of Burgundy (died 1467)

Philip III, also known as Philip the Good, was Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death in 1467. He was a member of a cadet line of the House of Valois, to which all 15th-century kings of France belonged. During his…

1396

Augustus

Elector of Saxony (died 1586)

Augustus, who called himself Augustus and was popularly known as "Father August" in reference to his paternal rule, was Elector of Saxony from 1553 until his death. He belonged to the Albertine branch of the House of…

1526

Maximilian II

Holy Roman Emperor (died 1576)

Maximilian II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1564 until his death in 1576. A member of the Austrian House of Habsburg, he was crowned King of Bohemia in Prague on 14 May 1562 and elected King of Germany on 24 November…

1527

Philipp Wolfgang

Count of Hanau-Lichtenberg (died 1641)

Philipp Wolfgang was a count of Hanau-Lichtenberg. He ruled the county from 1625 until his death.

1595

Alessandro Algardi

Italian sculptor (died 1654)

Alessandro Algardi was an Italian high-Baroque sculptor active almost exclusively in Rome. In the latter decades of his life, he was, along with Francesco Borromini and Pietro da Cortona, one of the major rivals of Gian…

1598

Charles of France

Duke of Berry (died 1714)

Charles of France, Duke of Berry, was a grandson of Louis XIV of France. Although he was only a grandson of Louis XIV, Berry held the rank of fils de France, rather than petit-fils de France, as the son of the Dauphin,…

1686

Jean Denis Attiret

French missionary and painter (died 1768)

Jean Denis Attiret was a French Jesuit painter and missionary to Qing China.

1702

Gabriel Cramer

Swiss mathematician and physicist (died 1752)

Gabriel Cramer was a Genevan mathematician.

1704

John Canton

English physicist and academic (died 1772)

John Canton was a British physicist. He was born in Middle Street Stroud, Gloucestershire, to a weaver, John Canton and Esther. As a schoolboy, he became the first person to determine the latitude of Stroud, while…

1718

Noël François de Wailly

French lexicographer and author (died 1801)

Noël François de Wailly was a French grammarian and lexicographer.

1724

Ignaz Anton von Indermauer

Austrian nobleman and government official (died 1796)

Ignaz Alois Anton von Indermauer zu Strelburg und Freifeld was an Austrian nobleman from Tyrol who served as the Landvögte and Kreishauptmann of Vorarlberg from 1791 until his death in 1796.

1759

Pedro Ignacio de Castro Barros

Argentine priest and politician (died 1849)

Pedro Ignacio de Castro Barros was an Argentine statesman and priest. He was a representative to the Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816 declared the Independence of Argentina.

1777

Jean-Gaspard Deburau

Czech-French actor and mime (died 1846)

Jean-Gaspard Deburau, sometimes erroneously called Debureau, was a Czech-French mime. He performed from 1816 to the year of his death at the Théâtre des Funambules, which was immortalized in Marcel Carné's…

1796

Friedrich Wöhler

German chemist and academic (died 1882)

Friedrich Wöhler FRS(For) HonFRSE was a German chemist known for his work in both organic and inorganic chemistry, being the first to isolate the chemical elements beryllium and yttrium in pure metallic form. He was the…

1800

John Ericsson

Swedish-American engineer, co-designed the USS Princeton and the Novelty Locomotive (died 1889)

John Ericsson was a Swedish-American engineer and inventor. He was active in England and the United States.

1803

George Henry Thomas

American general (died 1870)

George Henry Thomas was an American general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and one of the principal commanders in the Western Theater. Thomas served in the Mexican–American War, and despite being a…

1816

Juhani Aataminpoika

Finnish serial killer (died 1854)

Juhani Aataminpoika alias Kerpeikkari, was a Finnish serial killer. He killed 12 people in southern Finland between October and November of 1849. He has been characterized as the first serial killer in Finland.

1826

William S. Clark

American colonel and politician (died 1886)

William Smith Clark was an American professor of chemistry, botany, and zoology; a colonel during the American Civil War; and a leader in agricultural education. Raised and schooled in Easthampton, Massachusetts, Clark…

1826

Henri Brisson

French lawyer and politician, 50th Prime Minister of France (died 1912)

Eugène Henri Brisson was a French statesman, who was twice Prime Minister of France, between 1885–1886 and in 1898.

1835

Paul Du Chaillu

French-American anthropologist and explorer (died 1903)

Paul Belloni Du Chaillu was a French-American traveler, zoologist, and anthropologist. He became famous in the 1860s as the first modern European outsider to confirm the existence of gorillas, and later the Pygmy people…

1835

Vasily Sleptsov

Russian author and activist (died 1878)

Vasily Alekseyevich Sleptsov, was a Russian writer, playwright, journalist and social reformer.

1836

William Quantrill

American captain (died 1865)

William Clarke Quantrill was a Confederate guerrilla leader during the American Civil War.

1837

Ignacio Andrade

Venezuelan general and politician, 25th President of Venezuela (died 1925)

Ignacio Andrade Troconis was a military man and politician. He was known as a member of the Liberal yellow party, and served as the president of Venezuela from 1898 until 1899 – his election was declaredly clouded by…

1839

Peter Rosegger

Austrian poet and author (died 1918)

Peter Rosegger was an Austrian writer and poet from Krieglach in the province of Styria. He was a son of a mountain farmer and grew up in the woodlands and mountains of Alpl. Rosegger went on to become a most prolific…

1843

Ignacio Cervantes

Cuban pianist and composer (died 1905)

Ignacio Cervantes Kawanagh was a Cuban pianist and composer. He was influential in the creolization of Cuban music.

1847

José Canalejas

Spanish academic and politician, Prime Minister of Spain (died 1912)

José Canalejas y Méndez was a Spanish politician, born in Ferrol, who served as Prime Minister of Spain from 1910 until his assassination in 1912.

1854

Arthur Barclay

15th president of Liberia (died 1938)

Arthur Barclay was the 15th president of Liberia from 1904 to 1912.

1854

Richard Dixon Oldham

English seismologist and geologist (died 1936)

Richard Dixon Oldham FRS was a British geologist who made the first clear identification of the separate arrivals of P-waves, S-waves and surface waves on seismograms and the first clear evidence that the Earth has a…

1858

Marion Talbot

influential American educator (died 1948)

Marion Talbot was an American educator who served as Dean of Women at the University of Chicago from 1895 to 1925, and an influential leader in the higher education of women in the United States during the early 20th…

1858

Mary Vaux Walcott

American painter and illustrator (died 1940)

Mary Morris Vaux Walcott was an American artist and naturalist known for her watercolor paintings of wildflowers. She has been called the "Audubon of Botany."

1860

S. S. Kresge

American businessman, founded Kmart (died 1966)

Sebastian Spering Kresge was an American merchant and businessman. He created and owned two chains of department stores: the S. S. Kresge Company, one of the 20th century's largest discount retail organizations, and the…

1867

Jacques Villon

French painter (died 1963)

Jacques Villon, also known as Gaston Duchamp, was a French Cubist and abstract painter and printmaker.

1875

Louisa Bolus

South African botanist and taxonomist (died 1970)

Harriet Margaret Louisa Bolus née Kensit was a South African botanist and taxonomist, and the longtime curator of the Bolus Herbarium, from 1903. Bolus also has the legacy of authoring more land plant species than any…

1877

Premchand

Indian author and playwright (died 1936)

Dhanpat Rai Srivastava, better known as Munshi Premchand based on his pen name Premchand, was an Indian writer famous for his modern Hindustani literature.

1880

Ramón Fonst

Cuban fencer (died 1959)

Ramón Fonst Segundo was a Cuban fencer who competed in the early 20th century. He was one of the greatest world fencers, individual and by team; he was born and died in Havana. He became the first non-European and the…

1883

Carl Friedrich Goerdeler

Polish-German economist and politician (died 1945)

Carl Friedrich Goerdeler was a German conservative politician, monarchist, executive, economist, civil servant and opponent of the Nazi regime. He opposed anti-Jewish policies while he held office and was opposed to the…

1884

Salvatore Maranzano

Italian-American mob boss (died 1931)

Salvatore Maranzano, nicknamed Little Caesar, was an Italian-American mobster from the town of Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, and an early Cosa Nostra boss who led what later would become the Bonanno crime family in…

1886

Fred Quimby

American animation producer (died 1965)

Frederick Clinton Quimby was an American animation producer best known for producing the Tom and Jerry cartoon series, for which he won seven Academy Awards for Best Animated Short Films. He was the executive in charge…

1886

Hans Freyer

German sociologist and philosopher (died 1969)

Johannes "Hans" Freyer was a German sociologist and philosopher of the conservative revolutionary movement.

1887

Herbert W. Armstrong

American evangelist and publisher, founded Worldwide Church of God (died 1986)

Herbert W. Armstrong was an American evangelist who founded the Worldwide Church of God (WCG). An early pioneer of radio and television evangelism, Armstrong preached what he claimed was the comprehensive combination of…

1892

Joseph Charbonneau

Canadian archbishop (died 1959)

Joseph Charbonneau was a Canadian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, who served as Archbishop of Montreal from 1940 to 1950.

1892

Fred Keenor

Welsh footballer (died 1972)

Frederick Charles Keenor was a Welsh professional footballer. He began his career at his hometown side Cardiff City after impressing the club's coaching staff in a trial match in 1912 organised by his former…

1894

Jean Dubuffet

French painter and sculptor (died 1985)

Jean Philippe Arthur Dubuffet was a French painter and sculptor of the École de Paris. His idealistic approach to aesthetics embraced so-called "low art" and eschewed traditional standards of beauty in favor of what he…

1901

Gubby Allen

Australian-English cricketer and soldier (died 1989)

Sir George Oswald Browning "Gubby" Allen CBE was a cricketer who captained England in eleven Test matches. In first-class matches, he played for Middlesex and Cambridge University. A fast bowler and hard-hitting…

1902

Brett Halliday

American engineer, surveyor, and author (died 1977)

Brett Halliday is the primary pen name of Davis Dresser, an American mystery and western writer. Halliday is best known for the long-lived series of Michael Shayne mysteries he wrote, and later commissioned others to…

1904

Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn

Austrian theorist and author (died 1999)

Erik Maria Ritter von Kuehnelt-Leddihn was an Austrian-American nobleman and polymath, whose areas of interest included philosophy, history, political science, economics, linguistics, art and theology. He opposed the…

1909

George Liberace

American violinist (died 1983)

George Liberace was an American musician and television performer.

1911

Bill Brown

Australian cricketer (died 2008)

William Alfred Brown, was an Australian cricketer who played 22 Test matches between 1934 and 1948, captaining his country in one Test. A right-handed opening batsman, his partnership with Jack Fingleton in the 1930s is…

1912

Milton Friedman

American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2006)

Milton Friedman was an American economist and statistician who received the 1976 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his research on consumption analysis, monetary history and theory and the complexity of…

1912

Irv Kupcinet

American football player and journalist (died 2003)

Irving Kupcinet was an American newspaper columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, television talk-show host, and radio personality based in Chicago, Illinois. He was popularly known by the nickname "Kup".

1912

Bryan Hextall

Canadian ice hockey player (died 1984)

Bryan Aldwyn Hextall was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Considered one of the top wingers of the 1940s, he led the NHL in goal scoring…

1913

Paul J. Christiansen

American conductor and composer (died 1997)

Paul Joseph Christiansen was an American choral conductor and composer. As the youngest son of F. Melius Christiansen, he was brought up into the Lutheran Choral Tradition and quickly developed his own style of…

1914

Mario Bava

Italian director and screenwriter (died 1980)

Mario Bava was an Italian filmmaker who worked variously as a director, cinematographer, special effects artist and screenwriter. His low-budget genre films, known for their distinctive visual flair and stylish…

1914

Louis de Funès

French actor and screenwriter (died 1983)

Louis Germain David de Funès de Galarza was a French actor and comedian. His acting style is remembered for its high-energy performance and his wide range of facial expressions and tics. A considerable part of his…

1914

Sibte Hassan

Pakistani journalist, scholar, and activist (died 1986)

Syed Sibt-e-Hasan was an eminent scholar, journalist and political activist of Pakistan. He is regarded as one of the pioneers of Socialism and Marxism in Pakistan, as well as the moving spirit behind the Progressive…

1916

Billy Hitchcock

American baseball player, coach, and manager (died 2006)

William Clyde Hitchcock was an American professional baseball infielder, coach, manager and scout. In Major League Baseball (MLB), he was primarily a third baseman, second baseman and shortstop who appeared in 703 games…

1916

Bill Todman

American screenwriter and producer (died 1979)

William Selden Todman was an American television producer and personality born in New York City. He produced many of television's longest-running shows with business partner Mark Goodson, with whom he created…

1916

Paul D. Boyer

American biochemist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died 2018)

Paul Delos Boyer was an American biochemist, analytical chemist, and a professor of chemistry at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He shared the 1997 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for research on the "enzymatic…

1918

Hank Jones

American pianist, composer, and bandleader (died 2010)

Henry Jones Jr. was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians have described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable. In 1989, The National Endowment for the Arts honored him…

1918

Frank Renouf

New Zealand businessman and financier (died 1998)

Sir Francis Henry Renouf was a New Zealand stockbroker and financier.

1918

Hemu Adhikari

Indian cricketer (died 2003)

Colonel Hemchandra "Hemu" Ramachandra Adhikari was an Indian cricketer, representing his country both as a player and a coach in a career that spanned three decades. He received the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement…

1919

Curt Gowdy

American sportscaster and actor (died 2006)

Curtis Edward Gowdy was an American sportscaster. He called Boston Red Sox games on radio and TV for 15 years, and then covered many nationally televised sporting events, primarily for NBC Sports and ABC Sports in the…

1919

Primo Levi

Italian chemist and author (died 1987)

Primo Michele Levi was a Jewish Italian chemist, partisan, Holocaust survivor and writer. He was the author of several books, collections of short stories, essays, poems and one novel. His best-known works include: If…

1919

James E. Faust

American religious leader, lawyer, and politician (died 2007)

James Esdras Faust was an American religious leader, lawyer, and politician. Faust was Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1995 until his death, an LDS Church…

1920

Peter Benenson

English lawyer and activist, founded Amnesty International (died 2005)

Peter Benenson was a British barrister, human rights activist and the founder of the human rights group Amnesty International (AI); a global movement of more than 10 million people, currently, and in over 150 countries…

1921

Donald Malarkey

American sergeant and author (died 2017)

Donald George Malarkey was an American politician and soldier who served as a non-commissioned officer with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division of the United…

1921

Whitney Young

American activist (died 1971)

Whitney Moore Young Jr. was an American civil rights leader. Trained as a social worker, he spent most of his career working to end employment discrimination in the United States and turning the National Urban League…

1921

Hank Bauer

American baseball player and manager (died 2007)

Henry Albert Bauer was an American right fielder and manager in Major League Baseball. He played with the New York Yankees (1948–1959) and Kansas City Athletics (1960–1961); he batted and threw right-handed. He served…

1922

Ahmet Ertegun

Turkish-American songwriter and producer, founded Atlantic Records (died 2006)

Ahmet Ertegun was a Turkish-American businessman, songwriter, record executive and philanthropist.

1923

Stephanie Kwolek

American chemist and engineer, invented Kevlar (died 2014)

Stephanie Louise Kwolek was a Polish-American chemist known for inventing Kevlar. Her career at the DuPont company spanned more than 40 years.

1923

Jimmy Evert

American tennis player and coach (died 2015)

James Andrew "Jimmy" Evert was an American tennis coach and player. He was the father of Chris Evert, who was one of the world's top women tennis players in the 1970s and 1980s.

1924

Carmel Quinn

Irish singer, actress and writer (died 2021)

Carmel Quinn was an Irish-American entertainer who appeared on Broadway, television and radio after immigrating to the United States in 1954.

1925

John Swainson

Canadian-American jurist and politician, 42nd Governor of Michigan (died 1994)

John Burley Swainson was a Canadian-American politician and jurist who served as the 42nd governor of Michigan from 1961 to 1963.

1925

Bernard Nathanson

American physician and activist (died 2011)

Bernard N. Nathanson was an American physician, abortion rights advocate turned anti-abortion activist, and a prominent figure in the abortion debate in the United States. He was originally a co-founder in 1969 of the…

1926

Hilary Putnam

American mathematician, computer scientist, and philosopher (died 2016)

Hilary Whitehall Putnam was an American philosopher, mathematician, computer scientist, and figure in analytic philosophy in the second half of the 20th century. He contributed to the studies of philosophy of mind,…

1926

Peter Nichols

English author and playwright (died 2019)

Peter Richard Nichols was an English playwright, screenwriter, director and journalist.

1927

Bill Frenzel

American lieutenant and politician (died 2014)

William Eldridge Frenzel was an American politician and businessman who represented Minnesota's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1971 to 1991. A member of the Republican…

1928

Lynne Reid Banks

English author (died 2024)

Lynne Reid Banks was a British author of books for children and adults, including The Indian in the Cupboard, which has sold over 15 million copies and has been successfully adapted to film. Her first novel, The…

1929

Gilles Carle

Canadian director and screenwriter (died 2009)

Gilles Carle, was a Canadian filmmaker and painter, who was a key figure in the development of a commercial Quebec cinema.

1929

Don Murray

American actor (died 2024)

Donald Patrick Murray was an American actor, screenwriter, and film director. His debut film role as Bo Decker in Bus Stop (1956), opposite Marilyn Monroe, earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting…

1929

José Santamaría

Uruguayan footballer and manager (died 2026)

José Emilio Santamaría Iglesias was a professional football player and manager. A central defender, he spent his 18-year club career with Nacional and Real Madrid, winning 12 titles with the latter including four…

1929

Nick Bollettieri

American tennis player and coach (died 2022)

Nicholas James Bollettieri was an American tennis coach. He pioneered the concept of a tennis boarding school, and helped develop many leading tennis players during the past decades, including Andre Agassi, Jim Courier,…

1931

Kenny Burrell

American singer-songwriter and guitarist

Kenneth Earl Burrell is an American jazz guitarist, singer and composer known for his work on numerous top jazz labels: Prestige, Blue Note, Verve, CTI, Muse, and Concord. His collaborations with Jimmy Smith were…

1931

Ted Cassidy

American actor and screenwriter (died 1979)

Theodore Crawford Cassidy was an American actor. He tended to play unusual characters in offbeat or science-fiction works, such as Star Trek and I Dream of Jeannie, and he played Lurch on The Addams Family TV series of…

1932

John Searle

American philosopher and academic (died 2025)

John Rogers Searle was an American philosopher widely noted for contributions to the philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, and social philosophy. He began teaching at the University of California, Berkeley, in…

1932

Cees Nooteboom

Dutch journalist, author, and poet (died 2026)

Cornelis Johannes Jacobus Maria "Cees" Nooteboom was a Dutch novelist, poet and journalist. After the attention received by his novel Rituals, which won the Pegasus Prize, it was the first of his novels to be translated…

1933

Yvon Deschamps

Canadian comedian, actor, and producer

Yvon Deschamps is a Québécois author, actor, comedian and producer best known for his monologues. His social-commentary-tinged humour propelled him to prominence in Quebec popular culture in the 1970s and 1980s. A long…

1935

Geoffrey Lewis

American actor and screenwriter (died 2015)

Geoffrey Bond Lewis was an American actor. He appeared in more than 200 films and television shows, and was principally known for his film roles alongside Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford. He often portrayed villains…

1935

Steuart Bedford

English pianist and conductor (died 2021)

Steuart John Rudolf Bedford was an English orchestral and opera conductor and pianist.

1939

Susan Flannery

American actress

Susan Flannery is an American actress and director. She made her screen debut appearing in the 1965 Western film Guns of Diablo and later appeared in some television series. From 1966 to 1975, Flannery starred as Laura…

1939

France Nuyen

Vietnamese-French actress

France Nuyen is a French-American actress, model, and psychological counselor. She is known to film audiences for playing romantic leads in South Pacific (1958), Satan Never Sleeps (1962), and A Girl Named Tamiko, and…

1939

Stanley R. Jaffe

American film producer and director (died 2025)

Stanley Richard Jaffe was an American film producer. His producing credits included Fatal Attraction, The Accused and Kramer vs. Kramer, which won an Academy Award for Best Picture.

1940

Amarsinh Chaudhary

Indian politician, 8th Chief Minister of Gujarat (died 2004)

Amarsinh Bhilabhai Chaudhary was an Indian politician. He became the first adivasi to serve as the Chief Minister of Gujarat when he took office in 1985.

1941

William Bennett

American journalist and politician, 3rd United States Secretary of Education

William John Bennett is an American conservative politician and political commentator who served as the third United States secretary of education from 1985 to 1988 under President Ronald Reagan. He also held the post…

1943

Lobo

American singer-songwriter and guitarist

Roland Kent LaVoie, better known by his stage name Lobo, is an American singer-songwriter who was successful in the 1970s, scoring several U.S. Top 10 hits including "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo", "I'd Love You to…

1943

Geraldine Chaplin

American actress and screenwriter

Geraldine Leigh Chaplin is an actress, whose extensive career has included multilingual roles in English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German films. Born in the United States and raised in the United Kingdom and…

1944

Jonathan Dimbleby

English journalist and author

Jonathan Dimbleby is a British presenter of current affairs and political radio and television programmes, author and historian. He is the son of Richard Dimbleby and younger brother of television presenter David…

1944

Sherry Lansing

American film producer

Sherry Lansing is an American former film studio executive serving as chairwoman of Universal Music Group's board of directors and as a director on the board of Paramount Skydance Corporation. She previously served as…

1944

Robert C. Merton

American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate

Robert Cox Merton is an American economist, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences laureate, and professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is best known for his pioneering contributions to continuous-time…

1944

David Norris

Irish scholar and politician

David Patrick Bernard Norris is an Irish scholar, former independent Senator, and civil rights activist. Internationally, Norris is credited with having "managed, almost single-handedly, to overthrow the…

1944

William Weld

American lawyer and politician, 68th Governor of Massachusetts

William Floyd Weld is an American attorney, businessman, author, and politician who served as the 68th governor of Massachusetts from 1991 to 1997. Weld was Gary Johnson’s running mate in the 2016 presidential election…

1945

Gary Lewis

American pop-rock musician

Gary Lewis is an American musician who was the leader of Gary Lewis & the Playboys.

1946

Karl Green

English bass player and songwriter

Herman's Hermits are an English pop rock group formed in 1963 in Manchester and fronted by singer Peter Noone. Known for their jaunty beat sound and Noone's often tongue-in-cheek vocal style, the Hermits charted with…

1947

Richard Griffiths

English actor (died 2013)

Richard Thomas Griffiths was an English actor. He was known for his portrayals of Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter films (2001–2011), Uncle Monty in Withnail and I (1987), and Henry Crabbe in Pie in the Sky…

1947

Mumtaz

Indian actress

Mumtaz Askari Madhvani, known mononymously as Mumtaz is an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films. Initially starting out as a child actor and later appearing in B-grade films, she established herself as one of the…

1947

Hubert Védrine

French politician, French Minister of Foreign Affairs

Hubert Yves Pierre Védrine is a French retired senior civil servant and politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1997 to 2002. A member of the Socialist Party (PS), he was an advisor and later secretary…

1947

Ian Beck

English children's illustrator and author

Ian Archibald Beck is an English children's illustrator and author. In addition to his numerous children's books, he is also known for his cover illustration on Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album. More than a…

1947

Russell Morris

Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist

Russell Norman Morris is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist who had five Australian Top 10 singles during the late 1960s and early 1970s. On 1 July 2008, the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA)…

1948

Mike Jackson

American basketball player

Michael Jackson is an American former professional basketball player. After a collegiate career at the Cal State University Los Angeles where he was an All-Pacific Coast Athletic Association second-team selection in…

1949

Alan Meale

English journalist and politician

Sir Joseph Alan Meale is a former British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Mansfield from 1987 to 2017. He was the longest-standing MP in Mansfield's history.

1949

Richard Berry

French actor, director, and screenwriter

Richard Berry is a French actor, film director and screenwriter. He has appeared in more than 100 films since 1972. He starred in The Violin Player, which was entered into the 1994 Cannes Film Festival.

1950

Evonne Goolagong Cawley

Australian tennis player

Evonne Fay Goolagong Cawley is an Australian former professional tennis player. She was ranked as the world No. 1 in women's singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), and was one of the world's leading players in…

1951

Chris Ahrens

American ice hockey player

Christopher Alfred Ahrens is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played six seasons in the National Hockey League for the Minnesota North Stars, and four games in the WHA with the Edmonton Oilers.

1952

Alan Autry

American football player, actor, and politician, 23rd Mayor of Fresno, California

Carlos Alan Autry Jr. is an American actor, politician, and former football player. During his brief career in the National Football League, he played as a quarterback and was known as Carlos Brown.

1952

Helmuts Balderis

Latvian ice hockey player and coach

Helmuts Balderis-Sildedzis is a former Soviet and Latvian professional ice hockey player. He played on the right wing and participated at the 1980 Winter Olympics, where the Soviet team unexpectedly lost to the United…

1952

João Barreiros

Portuguese author and critic

João Manuel Rosado Barreiros, also known by the pseudonym José de Barros, is a Portuguese science fiction writer, editor, translator and critic.

1952

Faye Kellerman

American author

Faye Marder Kellerman is an American writer of mystery novels, in particular the "Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus" series, as well as three nonseries books, The Quality of Mercy, Moon Music, and Straight into Darkness.

1952

Ted Baillieu

Australian architect and politician, 46th Premier of Victoria

Edward Norman Baillieu is a former Australian politician who was Premier of Victoria from 2010 to 2013. He was a Liberal Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2014, representing the electorate…

1953

Jimmy Cook

South African cricketer and coach

Stephen James Cook is a former South African association footballer and cricketer who played in three cricket Test matches and four One Day Internationals from 1991 to 1993. His son Stephen Cook played for Gauteng and…

1953

Hugh McDowell

English cellist (died 2018)

Hugh Alexander McDowell was an English cellist and member of the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) and related acts.

1953

Derek Smith

Canadian ice hockey player

Derek Robert Smith is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League with the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings between 1975 and 1983. He was selected by the Sabres in the…

1954

Michael Biehn

American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter

Michael Connell Biehn is an American actor, primarily known for his roles in science fiction films directed by James Cameron; as Sgt. Kyle Reese in The Terminator (1984), Cpl. Dwayne Hicks in Aliens (1986), and Lt.…

1956

Bill Callahan

American football player and coach

William E. Callahan is an American football coach who is the offensive line coach for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). Callahan was the head coach of the Oakland Raiders in 2002 and 2003,…

1956

Ron Kuby

American lawyer and radio host

Ronald L. Kuby is an American criminal defense and civil rights attorney. Kuby is also a radio talk show host, and television commentator. He has hosted radio programs on WABC (AM) in New York City and Air America radio.

1956

Deval Patrick

American lawyer and politician, 71st Governor of Massachusetts

Deval Laurdine Patrick is an American politician who served as the 71st governor of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015. He was the first African-American governor of Massachusetts and the first Democratic governor of the…

1956

Lynne Rae Perkins

American author and illustrator

Lynne Rae Perkins is an American writer and illustrator of children's books.

1956

Lynn "Lynja" Yamada Davis

American online celebrity chef (died 2024)

Lynn Yamada Davis, mononymously better known by her online alias Lynja, was an American online celebrity chef known for her viral TikTok and YouTube Shorts videos from 2020 until her death in 2024. Praised for her…

1956

Daniel Ash

English singer-songwriter and guitarist

Daniel Gaston Ash is an English musician, songwriter and singer. Daniel Ash was born from a French mother and English father. He was born in England and spent his childhood in Northampton. He became prominent in the…

1957

Mark Thompson

English business executive

Sir Mark John Thompson is a British–American media executive who is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ancestry, the largest for-profit genealogy company in the world, and CEO of CNN. He is the former president and…

1957

Bill Berry

American drummer and songwriter

William Thomas Berry is an American musician who was the drummer for the alternative rock band R.E.M. Although best known for his economical drumming style, Berry also played other instruments, including guitar, bass…

1958

Mark Cuban

American businessman and television personality

Mark Cuban is an American businessman, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is the former principal owner and current minority owner of the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and…

1958

Suzanne Giraud

French music editor and composer

Suzanne Giraud is a French music educator and composer of contemporary music. Her works are marked by a predilection for percussion, voices and strings; they resonate with her artistic, poetic and architectural…

1958

Stanley Jordan

American guitarist, pianist, and songwriter

Stanley Jordan is an American jazz guitarist noted for his playing technique, which involves tapping his fingers on the fretboard of the guitar with both hands.

1959

Andrew Marr

Scottish journalist and author

Andrew William Stevenson Marr is a Scottish journalist, author, broadcaster and presenter. Beginning his career as a political commentator at The Scotsman, he subsequently edited The Independent newspaper from 1996 to…

1959

Kim Newman

English journalist and author

Kim James Newman is an English journalist, film critic, and fiction writer. He focuses on film history and horror fiction – both of which he attributes to seeing Tod Browning's Dracula at the age of eleven – and…

1959

Dale Hunter

Canadian ice hockey player and coach

Dale Robert Hunter is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and the former head coach of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League and current co-owner, president, and head coach of the London…

1960

Malcolm Ross

Scottish guitarist and songwriter

Malcolm Ross is a Scottish guitarist. His career started when he played guitar in the Scottish band Josef K. They released a string of singles and an album, The Only Fun in Town, on Postcard Records in the early 1980s.

1960

Frank Gardner

English captain and journalist

Francis Rolleston Gardner is a British journalist, author and retired British Army Reserve officer. He is currently the BBC's Security Correspondent, and since the September 11 attacks on New York has specialised in…

1961

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

Nigerian banker, royal

Muhammadu Sanusi II, ; born 31 July 1961), known by the religious title Khalifa Sanusi II, is the spiritual leader (khalifa) of the Tijanniyah Sufi order in Nigeria and the emir of the ancient city-state of Kano. He is…

1961

John Chiang

American lawyer and politician, 31st California State Controller

John Chiang is an American politician who served as the 33rd Treasurer of California from 2015 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 31st Controller of California from 2007 to 2015 and…

1962

Kevin Greene

American football player and coach (died 2020)

Kevin Darwin Greene was an American professional football player who was a linebacker and defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers of the National Football…

1962

Wesley Snipes

American actor and producer

Wesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, martial artist, author, and film producer. In a film career spanning more than thirty years, Snipes has appeared in a variety of genres, such as numerous thrillers, dramatic…

1962

Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim)

English DJ and musician

Norman Quentin Cook, known professionally as Fatboy Slim, is an English musician and DJ who helped popularise the big beat genre in the 1990s. His music makes extensive use of samples from eclectic genres, combined with…

1963

Fergus Henderson

English chef and author

Fergus Henderson is an English chef who founded the restaurant St. John on St John Street in London. He is known for his use of offal and other neglected cuts of meat as a consequence of his philosophy of nose to tail…

1963

Brian Skrudland

Canadian ice hockey player and coach

Brian Norman Skrudland is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers and Dallas Stars.

1963

Jim Corr

Irish singer-songwriter and guitarist

James Steven Ignatius Corr is an Irish musician, singer, songwriter and DJ. He is a member of the Irish folk/rock band the Corrs, the other members being his three younger sisters Andrea, Sharon and Caroline.

1964

Urmas Hepner

Estonian footballer and coach

Urmas Hepner is an Estonian former footballer, who is currently coaching Levadia Tallinn's reserves, as well as working in the club's youth system. In 1992 Hepner was named Estonian Footballer of the Year.

1964

Scott Brooks

American basketball player and coach

Scott William Brooks is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a player, he won an NBA…

1965

John Laurinaitis

American wrestler and producer

John Hodger Laurinaitis, also known by his former ring name Johnny Ace, is an American retired professional wrestler and business executive.

1965

Ian Roberts

English-Australian rugby league player and actor

Ian Roberts is a British-born Australian actor and former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative forward, he…

1965

J. K. Rowling

English author and film producer

Joanne Rowling, better known by her pen name J. K. Rowling, is a British author, philanthropist, producer, and screenwriter. She is best known for writing Harry Potter, a seven-volume series about a young wizard which…

1965

Dean Cain

American actor, producer, and screenwriter

Dean George Cain is an American actor best known for portraying Superman in the 1990s television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Cain was also the host of Ripley's Believe It or Not! and appeared in…

1966

Tony Massenburg

American basketball player

Tony Arnel Massenburg is an American former professional basketball player. Massenburg was on the active roster of 12 different teams, which was an NBA record shared with Joe Smith, Jim Jackson, Chucky Brown, and Ish…

1967

Tim Wright

Welsh composer

Tim Wright, known professionally as CoLD SToRAGE, is a Welsh video game music composer best known for his work on Wipeout 2097. His compositions for the game drew on 1990s UK big beat and electronic music trends,…

1967

Saeed-Al-Saffar

Emirati cricketer

Saeed-al-Saffar is an Emirati former cricketer who has represented the UAE at the international level, most notably in the One Day International the Emirates side played against the Netherlands in Lahore in the 1996…

1968

Julian Richards

Welsh director and producer

Julian Richards is a Welsh film director. He is associated with the Cool Cymru era of culture and arts in Wales.

1968

Antonio Conte

Italian footballer and manager

Antonio Conte is an Italian professional football manager and former player. He has worked in Italy and abroad, with his most recent managerial stint being at Serie A club Napoli. He is widely regarded as one of the…

1969

Loren Dean

American actor

Loren Dean is an American actor who has appeared on stage and in feature films, including as the title character in Billy Bathgate, as well as Apollo 13, Rosewood, Space Cowboys, and Ad Astra. He appeared in a recurring…

1969

Kenneth D. Schisler

American lawyer and politician

Kenneth D. Schisler is a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates and former chair of the Maryland Public Service Commission.

1969

Ahmad Akbarpour

Iranian author and poet

Ahmad Akbarpour Ahmad Akbarpūr Persian pronunciation: [æhˈmæd(-e) ækbærpuːr], born July 31, 1970, in Chah Varz, Lamerd, Fars province, is a novelist and author of short stories and children's books.

1970

Ben Chaplin

English actor

Benedict John Greenwood, better known as Ben Chaplin, is a British actor. He is best known for his roles in films, including Feast of July (1995), The Thin Red Line (1998), Lost Souls (2000), Birthday Girl (2001),…

1970

Andrzej Kobylański

Polish footballer and manager

Andrzej Kobylański born 31 July 1970) is a Polish former professional footballer who played as a striker or midfielder. In 2012, he was the assistant manager for Cracovia, and held the role of sporting director for…

1970

Giorgos Sigalas

Greek basketball player, coach, and sportscaster

Giorgos Sigalas is a Greek retired professional basketball player and is the current head coach for Iraklis of the Greek Basketball League.

1970

Gus Frerotte

American football player and coach

Gustave Joseph Frerotte is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL…

1971

Nathan Brown

Australian rugby league player and coach

Nathan Brown is an Australian professional rugby league football coach who is the assistant coach of the Parramatta Eels in the NRL and former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s.

1973

Emilia Fox

English actress

Emilia Rose Elizabeth Fox is an English actress and presenter whose career is primarily in British television. Her feature film debut was in Roman Polanski's film The Pianist (2002). Her other motion pictures include…

1974

Leona Naess

American-English singer-songwriter and guitarist

Leona Kristina Naess is an English singer and songwriter. She released her debut album, Comatised, in March 2000, which produced the single "Charm Attack".

1974

Jonathan Ogden

American football player

Jonathan Phillip Ogden is an American former professional football player who spent his entire career as an offensive tackle with the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football…

1974

Randy Flores

American baseball player and coach

Randy Alan Flores is an American professional baseball executive and former pitcher who is the assistant general manager and director of scouting for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in…

1975

Andrew Hall

South African cricketer

Andrew James Hall is a former South African first-class cricketer who played from 1999 until 2011. He played as an all-rounder who bowled fast-medium pace and has been used as both an opening batsman and in the lower…

1975

Gabe Kapler

American baseball player and manager

Gabriel Stefan Kapler, nicknamed "Kap", is an American professional baseball executive and former outfielder and manager who serves as the general manager of the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB).

1975

Joshua Cain

American guitarist and producer

Joshua Allen Cain is a guitarist and record producer from Saint Paul, Minnesota. He is the co-founder and lead guitarist of American pop punk band Motion City Soundtrack. Cain is also a music producer with multiple past…

1976

Paulo Wanchope

Costa Rican footballer and manager

Paulo César Wanchope Watson, more commonly known as Paulo Wanchope, is a Costa Rican football coach and former professional footballer who last coached Deportivo Saprissa.

1976

Zac Brown

American country singer-songwriter and guitarist

The Zac Brown Band is an American country music band based in Atlanta, Georgia. The lineup consists of Zac Brown, Jimmy De Martini, John Driskell Hopkins, Coy Bowles, Chris Fryar (drums), Clay Cook, Matt Mangano, Daniel…

1978

Will Champion

English drummer (Coldplay)

William Champion is an English musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer and percussionist of the rock band Coldplay. Raised in Southampton, he learned to play numerous instruments during his youth, being…

1978

Nick Sorensen

American football player and sportscaster

Nicholas Carl Sorensen is an American professional football coach and former safety who is currently the special teams coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football…

1978

Justin Wilson

English race car driver (died 2015)

Justin Boyd Wilson was a British professional open-wheel racing driver who competed in Formula One (F1) in 2003, the Champ Car World Series (CCWS) from 2004 to 2007 and the IndyCar Series from 2008 to 2015. He won the…

1978

Jaco Erasmus

South African-Italian rugby player

Jaco Erasmus is a South African-born Italian rugby union naturalized player. He plays as a flanker.

1979

J. J. Furmaniak

American baseball player

Jason Joseph "J. J." Furmaniak is an American former professional baseball infielder, who played in the major leagues for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Oakland Athletics.

1979

Per Krøldrup

Danish footballer

Per Billeskov Krøldrup is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a defender.

1979

Carlos Marchena

Spanish footballer

Carlos Marchena López is a Spanish former professional footballer. Mainly a central defender with an aggressive approach, he also played as a defensive midfielder.

1979

B. J. Novak

American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter

Benjamin Joseph Manaly Novak is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, author, and producer. He gained traction as a comedian during the early 2000s before becoming an actor for the MTV reality prank show Punk'd…

1979

Mikko Hirvonen

Finnish race car driver

Mikko Hirvonen is a Finnish former rally driver, and a current Rally-Raid driver, who drove in the World Rally Championship. He placed third in the drivers' championship and helped Ford to the manufacturers' title in…

1980

Mils Muliaina

New Zealand rugby player

Junior Malili "Mils" Muliaina is a former professional rugby union player who most recently played for San Francisco Rush in the US PRO Rugby competition. He played primarily as a fullback, though he has also played as…

1980

Titus Bramble

English footballer

Titus Malachi Bramble is an English former professional footballer who played as a centre back.

1981

Vernon Carey

American football player

Vernon A. Carey Sr. is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle for eight seasons with the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Dolphins with…

1981

Paul Whatuira

New Zealand rugby league player

Paul Whatuira is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who last played for the Parramatta Eels in the NRL in 2011. A New Zealand international centre, he won National Rugby League premierships with…

1981

Anabel Medina Garrigues

Spanish tennis player

Ana Isabel Medina Garrigues is a Spanish tennis coach and former professional player.

1982

Daniel Ciofani

Italian footballer

Daniel Ciofani is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a forward.

1985

Rémy Di Gregorio

French cyclist

Rémy Di Gregorio is a French road bicycle racer, who is currently suspended from the sport following a positive in-competition doping test for darbepoetin alfa, a re-engineered form of erythropoietin (EPO). He has…

1985

Evgeni Malkin

Russian ice hockey player

Evgeni Vladimirovich Malkin is a Russian professional ice hockey player who is a centre and alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Geno", Malkin began his career…

1986

Brian Orakpo

American football player

Brian Ndubisi Orakpo is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Texas, was recognized…

1986

Michael Bradley

American soccer player

Michael Sheehan Bradley is an American former professional soccer player who is currently the head coach of the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.

1987

Alex Glenn

New Zealand rugby league player

Alex Glenn is a former professional rugby league footballer who captained and played as a second-row and centre for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL. He played for both the Cook Islands and New Zealand at international…

1988

A. J. Green

American football player

Adriel Jeremiah "A. J." Green is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college…

1988

Victoria Azarenka

Belarusian tennis player

Victoria Fiodaraŭna Azarenka is a Belarusian professional tennis player. She has been ranked as the world No. 1 in women's singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), having held the position for a total of 51…

1989

Réka Luca Jani

Hungarian tennis player

Réka Luca Jani is a Hungarian former professional tennis player.

1991

José Fernández

Cuban-American baseball player (died 2016)

José Delfín Fernández Gómez was a Cuban-born American professional baseball right-handed pitcher who played four seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was a member of the Miami Marlins from 2013 until his death in…

1992

Ryan Johansen

Canadian ice hockey player

Ryan Johansen is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. A centre, he played minor hockey in the Greater Vancouver area until joining the junior ranks with the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey…

1992

Kyle Larson

American race car driver

Kyle Miyata Larson is an American professional racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports and part-time in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto…

1992

Linus Ullmark

Swedish professional hockey player

Sven Linus Ullmark is a Swedish professional ice hockey player who is a goaltender for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL).

1993

Lil Uzi Vert

American hip hop artist

Symere Bysil Woods, known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Known for their eclectic fashion style and genre-blending music, they are considered an influential figure in…

1995

Bobbi Althoff

American podcaster and influencer

Bobbi Althoff is an American podcaster and influencer known for her viral interviews with Drake, Lil Yachty, Offset, and other celebrities.

1997

Rico Rodriguez

American actor

Rico Rodriguez is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Manny Delgado on the ABC sitcom Modern Family (2009–2020). He received several Screen Actors Guild Awards for his performance. He has also appeared…

1998

Kim Sae-ron

South Korean actress (died 2025)

Kim Sae-ron was a South Korean actress. Kim began her career in 2001 as a child model and transitioned to acting in 2009 with the film A Brand New Life (2009). She gained recognition through The Man from Nowhere (2010),…

2000

João Gomes

Brazilian singer

João Fernando Gomes Valério is a Brazilian singer and songwriter who came to national prominence with his debut album Eu tenho a senha. One song from the album, "Meu Pedaço de Pecado", was the most played song among…

2002

Will Penisini

Australian-Tongan rugby league player

Viliami Penisini is a Tonga international rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League.

2002

Calvin Ramsay

Scottish footballer

Calvin William Ramsay is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Premier League club Liverpool.

2003

Famous birthdays

Who was born on July 31?

DeMarcus Ware — American football player (born 1982)

FeaturedDeMarcus Ware

Birth year1982

Known forHe played college football for the Troy State Trojans as a defensive end

Birthdays on this date210 (1143 – 2003)

Explore July 31

Jump between the main pages for this date to compare events, people, and the daily quiz.

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Also on July 31 in History

2014

Gas explosions in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung kill at least 20 people and injure more than 270. Wikipedia →

2012

Michael Phelps breaks the record set in 1964 by Larisa Latynina for the most medals won at the Olympics. Wikipedia →

2008

East Coast Jets Flight 81 crashes near Owatonna Degner Regional Airport in Owatonna, Minnesota, killing all eight people on board. Wikipedia →

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1982 — DeMarcus Ware

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