Famous People Who Died of Cancer
Mary Kay Letourneau passed away on July 6, 2020, following a battle with cancer. She was 58.
Her family was with her in her home, including Vili Fualaau, her former student and ex-husband. He had been giving her 24-hour care leading up to her death.
Letourneau infamously pleaded guilty to raping then 13-year-old Fualaau when she was his 34-year-old teacher. She gave birth to the couple's first child before serving seven years in prison, and then the two had another after she was released. Fualaau had filed for a legal separation in 2017, after almost 12 years together.
- Birthplace: Tustin, California
Kellye Nakahara, a star of the 70's TV show M*A*S*H, passed away in Pasadena on February 15th. The 72 year old had been battling cancer, and leaves behind a son, daughter, and a husband of 52 years.
Aside from M*A*S*H, Nakahara also made appearances in Little House on the Prairie, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, NYPD Blue. She even had a stint working on Pasadena's Arts and Culture Comission. Her costars reacted with love and support in the wake of the news, saying of the star: "She was a treasure. She was sunshine on the set" and "May her memory continue to brighten our days."
- Birthplace: Oahu, USA, Hawaii
Nikita Pearl Waligwa
Age: 15Disney actress Nikita Pearl Waligwa, known for her role as Gloria in Disney's Queen of Katwe, passed away on February 15th, after a battle with a brain tumor. She was 15 years old. Both Nikita's high school and her Queen of Katwe co-star Lupita Nyong'o posted tributes to the young actress on their social media, saying she was "a darling to many" and a "sweet, warm, talented girl."
- Birthplace: Uganda
Chris Duncan died of brain cancer in his hometown of Tucson, Arizona on September 6, 2019. He was 38 years old.
Duncan was the former outfielder who helped bring home the 2006 World Series win for the St. Louis Cardinals. During his career, Duncan hit .257 with 55 home runs and 175 RBIs in 281 games. This occurred over five seasons with the Cardinals. Following his baseball career, he was a sports radio host at WXOS-FM in St. Louis.
- Birthplace: Tucson, Arizona
- Farrah Fawcett was a renowned American actress who etched her place in the world of entertainment with her exceptional acting skills and radiant beauty. Born on February 2, 1947, in Corpus Christi, Texas, Fawcett grew up as a southern belle before moving to Hollywood where she would achieve stardom. She studied at the University of Texas before deciding to pursue a career in acting, setting her sights on the bright lights of Hollywood. Fawcett's claim to fame came through her role as Jill Munroe in the hit television series Charlie's Angels, which aired from 1976 to 1980. Her portrayal of the private investigator catapulted her into the limelight, making her an overnight sensation. The iconic red swimsuit poster of Fawcett is regarded as one of the best-selling posters in history, showcasing her status as a pop culture icon. However, Fawcett was not just a pretty face; she proved her mettle as an actress with powerful performances in films like The Burning Bed and Extremities, earning her critical acclaim and multiple award nominations. In addition to her acting prowess, Fawcett was also known for her courageous battle with cancer. Diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006, she fought the disease bravely and publicly, sharing her journey through the Emmy-nominated documentary Farrah's Story. Fawcett's tenacity and resilience in the face of adversity are as much a part of her legacy as her acting achievements. Farrah Fawcett passed away on June 25, 2009, leaving behind a rich legacy of unforgettable performances and an inspiring story of courage and determination.
- Birthplace: Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
- Aretha Franklin, popularly known as the Queen of Soul, was a trailblazer in the world of music. Born on March 25, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee, she was raised in Detroit, Michigan where her father served as a pastor and she began her singing career. Her early life was deeply rooted in gospel music, which was nurtured at her father's church. Despite not having formal training, Franklin's remarkable vocal range, spanning multiple octaves, and her ability to convey deep emotion through her voice set her apart. Franklin's professional career took off in the 1960s with Atlantic Records, where she redefined the genre of soul music with hits like Respect, Chain of Fools, and Think. Throughout her illustrious career, she released over 40 studio albums and numerous hit singles, achieving commercial success and critical acclaim. Her powerful voice and emotional delivery resonated with audiences around the globe, making her one of the best-selling musical artists of all time. Moreover, her music became an anthem for civil rights and women's rights movements, reflecting her strong commitment to equality and freedom. In 1987, Franklin made history by becoming the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, cementing her place in music history. Her legacy is marked by numerous awards and accolades, including 18 Grammy Awards, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and honorary degrees from prestigious institutions such as Harvard University. Franklin passed away on August 16, 2018, but her influence continues to reverberate in the music industry and beyond.
- Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Paul Newman, a name that resonates with the golden age of Hollywood, was a man who wore many hats - actor, director, producer, race car driver, and philanthropist. Born on January 26, 1925, in Shaker Heights, Ohio, Newman's interest in theater began at a young age. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he embarked on his acting journey, enrolling at the Yale School of Drama and later studying under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio in New York City. Newman's career took a monumental turn when he starred in the film Somebody Up There Likes Me in 1956. His piercing blue eyes and natural acting talent quickly made him one of Hollywood's leading men. Throughout his career, Newman's performances were lauded, earning him numerous accolades, including an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in The Color of Money in 1986. He also directed several films, showcasing his knack for storytelling from behind the camera. Beyond the world of entertainment, Newman had a passion for auto racing, a hobby he picked up while filming the 1969 movie Winning. Proving his prowess on the racetrack, Newman won several national championships as a driver in the Sports Car Club of America. He combined his love for racing with his dedication to giving back, co-founding the nonprofit Newman's Own, which donates all post-tax profits to charity.
- Birthplace: Shaker Heights, Ohio, USA
- David Bowie, born David Robert Jones, was an iconic figure in the world of music, renowned for his distinctive voice, eclectic musical style, and innovative approach to artistry. Born on January 8, 1947, in Brixton, London, England, Bowie's passion for music began at a young age. His early influences included Little Richard, Elvis Presley, and the jazz records played by his father. Known for his continuous reinvention, Bowie's career spanned over five decades, during which he released 27 studio albums. Bowie's breakthrough came in 1969 with his single Space Oddity, timed with the Apollo 11 moon landing. His versatility was showcased in his album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars that introduced the alter ego Ziggy Stardust, a character that personified alienation and glam rock. This was followed by a series of successful albums including Aladdin Sane, Diamond Dogs, and the soul-influenced Young Americans. In the late 1970s, Bowie moved towards electronic and ambient music with his Berlin Trilogy: Low, Heroes, and Lodger. Aside from music, Bowie also had a significant impact on fashion and theater. He was known for his androgynous looks and flamboyant stage outfits, influencing trends throughout his career. He also acted in films like The Man Who Fell to Earth and Labyrinth, proving his talent across multiple artistic mediums. Bowie passed away on January 10, 2016, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire musicians and artists worldwide. His innovative approach to music and his ability to constantly reinvent himself have solidified his place as one of the most influential figures in popular culture.
- Birthplace: London, England, UK
- 1The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars1,589 Votes
- 2Hunky Dory1,427 Votes
- 3Low1,415 Votes
- Alan Rickman, an accomplished British actor and director, was born on February 21, 1946, in London, England. Born into a working-class family, Rickman's love for drama sparked during his school years, leading him to attend the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). His performance in Les Liaisons Dangereuses earned him a Tony Award nomination, launching his career into the stratosphere. However, he is most recognized for his iconic roles in film, particularly that of Professor Severus Snape in the globally acclaimed Harry Potter series. Rickman's acting prowess extended beyond the magical realms of Hogwarts. He showcased his versatility by playing an array of diverse characters. In Die Hard, he played the villainous Hans Gruber, setting a benchmark for Hollywood villains. His portrayal of Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility showcased his ability to embody the romantic hero, while his role in Love Actually further solidified his status as a beloved figure in British cinema. His unique voice, coupled with his nuanced performances, earned him a place among the most respected actors of his generation. Away from the camera, Rickman was also known for his directing endeavors. His directorial debut, The Winter Guest, received critical acclaim and paved the way for future projects. As an active patron of the arts, he supported numerous charities and served on the board of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, nurturing the next generation of talent. Alan Rickman's enduring legacy continues to inspire and influence artists worldwide, proving he was more than just a man behind the characters; he was a true embodiment of the arts.
- Birthplace: Hammersmith, London, England, UK
- Walt Disney, born on December 5, 1901, in Chicago, Illinois, was a pioneering figure in the field of animation. His creative vision and relentless innovation transformed the entertainment industry and made him a cultural icon. From humble beginnings as a cartoonist, he went on to co-found The Walt Disney Company with his brother Roy O. Disney, establishing a multimedia empire that endures to this day. Disney's journey to success began with his first venture, Laugh-O-Gram Studio, which went bankrupt. Undeterred, he moved to Hollywood and created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. After losing the rights to Oswald due to a contract dispute, Disney came up with a new character- Mickey Mouse. The debut of Mickey Mouse in "Steamboat Willie" in 1928 marked a critical turning point in his career. The innovative use of sound in this short film set a new standard for animated cartoons. Over the years, Disney continued to push the boundaries of technology and storytelling. He introduced the first feature-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, in 1937. This was followed by other classics such as Cinderella, Peter Pan, and The Lion King. He also ventured into television with shows like The Mickey Mouse Club and Zorro. However, his most ambitious project was the creation of Disneyland in 1955, an amusement park that brought his imaginative world to life. Disney passed away in 1966, leaving behind a legacy of creativity and innovation that continues to inspire generations.
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Dennis Hopper was an iconic figure in the world of film and television, best known for his groundbreaking roles as a director, actor, and artist. Born in Dodge City, Kansas, in 1936, Hopper's journey into Hollywood began at a young age when he moved to San Diego to study acting at the Old Globe Theatre and later joined the Actors Studio in New York. His breakthrough came in the form of the 1955 film Rebel Without a Cause, where he starred alongside James Dean, marking the beginning of a career that would span over five decades. Hopper's career took a turn towards directing in the late 1960s. His directorial debut, Easy Rider, became a cultural phenomenon, symbolizing the counterculture movement of that era. The film, which he co-wrote, directed, and starred in, garnered critical acclaim, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. This success established Hopper as a formidable force in the film industry, paving the way for future projects such as The Last Movie and Out of the Blue. However, Hopper was not just confined to the realm of film and television. He was an avid photographer and visual artist, with his works exhibited in galleries worldwide. His photography, often featuring candid shots of Hollywood's elite, provided an intimate glimpse into the life behind the silver screen. Additionally, Hopper was a dedicated philanthropist, actively involved in various charitable causes throughout his life. Despite facing personal struggles, including battles with substance abuse, Hopper remained a celebrated figure till his passing in 2010. His enduring legacy remains a testament to his talent, passion, and indomitable spirit.
- Birthplace: Dodge City, Kansas, USA
- 1Blue Velvet88 Votes
- 2Easy Rider89 Votes
- 3Out of the Blue49 Votes
- John Wayne, born Marion Robert Morrison on May 26, 1907, in Winterset, Iowa, emerged as one of Hollywood's iconic figures known for his macho image and distinctive drawl. From an early age, Wayne exhibited a penchant for storytelling and acting. His family moved to California when he was young, providing him with the opportunity to immerse himself in the world of cinema. He attended the University of Southern California on a football scholarship but had to drop out due to a bodysurfing accident. This unfortunate event, however, led him to work as a prop boy at Fox Studios, marking the beginning of his journey in the film industry. Wayne's first leading role came in 1930, when director Raoul Walsh cast him as the lead in The Big Trail. Although the film was not a commercial success, it paved the way for Wayne's steady rise in Hollywood. His breakthrough moment arrived in 1939, with John Ford's classic Western Stagecoach, where he delivered a memorable performance that solidified his status as a leading man. Throughout his career, Wayne starred in more than 170 films, many of them Westerns, earning him the nickname The Duke, a moniker that followed him off-screen as well. Despite his on-screen persona as the tough cowboy, Wayne was equally recognized for his contributions off the screen. He was a vocal advocate for cancer research following his own battle with the disease. In 1979, Wayne won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in True Grit, a testament to his enduring talent and versatility. He passed away on June 11, 1979, leaving behind a cinematic legacy that continues to inspire generations. His life and career remain emblematic of the rugged individualism and frontier spirit that are often associated with the American West.
- Birthplace: Winterset, Iowa, USA
- 1Rio Bravo3,585 Votes
- 2The Searchers3,888 Votes
- 3She Wore a Yellow Ribbon2,487 Votes
- Dean Martin, born as Dino Paul Crocetti on June 7, 1917, in Steubenville, Ohio, is a household name renowned for his multi talented persona. Martin's career spanned across five decades, leaving a significant mark in the entertainment industry. He was a singer, actor, comedian, and film producer, making him one of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century. Martin commenced his career as a nightclub singer in the 1940s where he formed a comedic duo with Jerry Lewis. The duo enjoyed immense fame from their radio and television shows, not to mention their appearances in nightclubs and films. In the late 1950s, Martin embarked on a solo career, recording numerous contemporary pop hits including "That's Amore," "Ain't That a Kick in the Head," and "Everybody Loves Somebody." His smooth, crooning voice earned him the nickname "King of Cool". In addition to his successful singing career, Martin was also a prolific actor featuring in more than 60 films. Some of his notable roles include parts in 'The Young Lions' (1958), 'Some Came Running' (1958), 'Rio Bravo' (1959), and 'Ocean's 11' (1960). His charm and charisma led to him becoming a member of the Rat Pack, a group of actors known for their Las Vegas nightclub performances. Dean Martin passed away on December 25, 1995, but his legacy continues to live on, influencing generations of entertainers.
- Birthplace: Steubenville, Ohio, USA
- Born on February 8, 1925, in an elevator in Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Massachusetts, John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III was an acclaimed American actor and musician. As a Harvard University graduate, Lemmon's career spanned six decades, earning him two Academy Awards among numerous other accolades. His stellar career was marked by his exceptional performances in both dramatic and comedic roles, making him one of the most versatile actors of his time. Lemmon's talent was first noted when he starred in the 1955 film Mister Roberts, for which he bagged an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He continued to impress audiences with his performances in films such as Some Like It Hot, The Apartment, and Days of Wine and Roses. His portrayal of a businessman in Save the Tiger (1973) won him the Academy Award for Best Actor, making him the first actor to bag Academy Awards in both leading and supporting roles. Apart from his film career, Lemmon also left his mark on television and theater, receiving Emmy nominations for his roles on the small screen and a Tony Award nomination for his performance in Long Day's Journey Into Night. Despite his fame, Lemmon remained grounded, attributing this quality to his upbringing. He was known for his humility and kindness, traits that endeared him to his colleagues. His off-screen life, however, was not without tribulations. He battled alcoholism and other personal issues but managed to overcome them, using these experiences to further enhance his craft. Jack Lemmon passed away in June 2001, leaving behind a rich legacy in American cinema.
- Birthplace: Newton, Massachusetts, USA
- Bob Marley, born Robert Nesta Marley on February 6, 1945, in Nine Mile, Jamaica, is globally recognized as a pioneering force in the genre of reggae music. His journey to international fame began in 1963 with the formation of Bob Marley and The Wailers, a band that played an instrumental role in popularizing Jamaican music worldwide. Marley's unique blend of reggae, ska, and rocksteady, coupled with his distinctive voice and songwriting skills, established him as a cultural icon. Marley's music was deeply influenced by the socio-political issues of his time. His lyrics often addressed themes of peace, unity, and resistance against oppression, reflecting his Rastafarian beliefs. Albums like Catch a Fire and Burnin' were not just commercial successes, but also powerful political statements. His 1977 album Exodus was named Album of the Century by Time Magazine, further cementing his status as a global music legend. Tragically, Marley's life was cut short by cancer at the age of 36 in 1981. Despite his untimely death, his legacy continues to thrive. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001. His greatest hits collection, Legend, released in 1984, remains the best-selling reggae album of all time. Bob Marley's influence extends far beyond music, touching upon realms of spirituality, philosophy, and social activism, making him one of the most influential figures of the 20th century.
- Birthplace: Jamaica
- Regarded as a paragon of innovation and a visionary, Steve Jobs was born on February 24, 1955, in San Francisco, California. Adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs, he grew up in Mountain View, California, an area that would later become known as Silicon Valley. His early years were marked by an intense curiosity and passion for technology, which was nurtured by his father's guidance in their garage. A college dropout, Jobs attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon, before embarking on a life-changing trip to India seeking spiritual enlightenment. Upon his return, Jobs co-founded Apple Inc. with Steve Wozniak in 1976, launching the first Apple computer from the Jobs family garage. The venture marked the dawn of the personal computing era, revolutionizing the industry. However, Jobs faced significant setbacks. In 1985, following internal disagreements, he left Apple to establish NeXT, a computer platform development company specializing in the higher education and business markets. In a twist of fate, Apple purchased NeXT in 1997, bringing Jobs back into the fold. Under his renewed leadership, Apple made a dramatic turnaround, introducing iconic products like the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. These innovations transformed not only the technology industry but also music, entertainment, and design, turning Apple into a global powerhouse. Despite facing health challenges, Jobs remained at the helm of Apple until his resignation in August 2011. His passing on October 5, 2011, marked the end of a revolutionary era in technology. His legacy continues to inspire future generations of entrepreneurs and innovators.
- Birthplace: San Francisco, California, USA
- Fred Rogers, fondly known as Mister Rogers, was an iconic figure in American television history. Born on March 20, 1928, in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, he dedicated his life to the education and wellbeing of children through his innovative and heartfelt television programming. Rogers graduated from Rollins College in Florida, where he earned a degree in Music Composition in 1951. His interest in television was sparked during his senior year of college when he saw the medium being used to broadcast slapstick comedy and decided it could also be used for educational purposes. In 1954, Rogers began working at WQED, a public television station in Pittsburgh, where he co-produced a show called The Children's Corner. This was the precursor to his legendary show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, which first aired nationally in 1968. Over the course of his career, Rogers became known for his soft-spoken demeanor, his red cardigan sweaters, and his ability to communicate complex topics in a way that children could understand and appreciate. He addressed subjects like death, divorce, and racism head-on, helping children navigate these challenging topics with grace and understanding. Fred Rogers passed away on February 27, 2003, but his legacy continues to impact generations. He received numerous awards for his work, including four Daytime Emmy Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. He was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002, the highest civilian honor in the United States. Despite his passing, Fred Rogers' influence persists through the continued broadcast of his shows and the work of the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children's Media. His commitment to child education, his gentle approach, and his unwavering belief in the goodness of people have solidified his place in television history and in the hearts of millions around the world.
- Birthplace: Latrobe, Pennsylvania, USA
- Born in Houston, Texas, Patrick Swayze was a versatile and passionate artist whose contributions to the world of entertainment spanned over three decades. His journey began with a love for dance, nurtured by his mother who ran her own dance school. This foundation in movement and expression served him well as he transitioned into a successful acting career, becoming one of Hollywood's most beloved stars. Swayze's breakthrough role came in 1987 when he starred in the hit film Dirty Dancing. His portrayal of Johnny Castle, a dance instructor working at a summer resort, captivated audiences worldwide and earned him a Golden Globe nomination. This was followed by another iconic performance in the supernatural romantic drama Ghost alongside Demi Moore, further cementing his status as a leading man in Hollywood. His performances often displayed a unique blend of strength and sensitivity, making him a favorite among audiences and critics alike. Although faced with personal challenges, including a battle with alcohol addiction and a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, Swayze continued to work tirelessly in his craft. He demonstrated an unwavering commitment to his art, using his fame to raise awareness about issues close to his heart. His legacy lives on through his memorable performances, his dedication to his craft, and his enduring impact on popular culture. Patrick Swayze passed away in 2009, but his influence in the entertainment industry continues to be felt to this day.
- Birthplace: Houston, Texas, USA
- John Hurt was a versatile and respected English actor known for his remarkable acting prowess. Born on January 22, 1940, in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England, Hurt's passion for the arts was evident from a young age. He studied at the Grimsby Art School before earning a scholarship to the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. His career spanned over six decades, with his first major role coming in 1962 when he starred in The Wild and the Willing. Hurt's acting range was vast, encompassing a variety of roles that showcased his ability to immerse himself into any character. He earned considerable acclaim for his riveting portrayal of John Merrick in David Lynch's The Elephant Man (1980), a performance that earned him a BAFTA award and an Oscar nomination. His other notable roles include the flamboyant Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant (1975), the ill-fated Kane in Ridley Scott's Alien (1979), and the wand maker Ollivander in the Harry Potter series. Off-screen, John Hurt was a man of great compassion and humility. He was an active patron of several charities and was passionate about conservation. In recognition of his contributions to the performing arts, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015. Despite facing health challenges in his later years, Hurt continued to work until his death on January 25, 2017. His enduring legacy in film and television continues to inspire generations of actors and audiences alike.
- Birthplace: Shirebrook, Derbyshire, England, UK
- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, born Jacqueline Lee Bouvier on July 28, 1929, in Southampton, New York, was a prominent figure in American history known for her elegance, style and poise. She was a First Lady who left an unmistakable mark on the American psyche, transforming the White House into a hub of culture and historical preservation. Her dedication to arts and culture, coupled with her effortless sophistication, established her as an enduring symbol of dignity and grace. In 1953, Jacqueline became Mrs. Kennedy when she married John F. Kennedy, then a young senator from Massachusetts. The couple had four children, two of whom survived into adulthood - Caroline and John Jr. As First Lady, her time in the White House was tragically cut short by her husband's assassination in 1963, a moment that shocked the nation and the world. However, Jacqueline's strength in the face of such personal tragedy endeared her to the public. Her resolute composure during this traumatic event epitomized her resilience and character. Following the death of President Kennedy, Jacqueline later married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis in 1968, which led to her often being referred to as Jackie O. After Onassis's death in 1975, she embarked on a successful career in book editing, working for Viking Press and Doubleday. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis passed away in 1994, but her influence and legacy continue to live on, standing as a testament to her impact on American culture and history.
- Birthplace: USA, Southampton, New York
- Frank Sinatra, a name that resonates with multiple generations, was an extraordinary figure in the 20th-century music scene. Born Francis Albert Sinatra on December 12, 1915, in Hoboken, New Jersey, he rose from humble beginnings to become one of the world's best-selling music artists. His journey began as a crooner with bandleaders Harry James and Tommy Dorsey in the 1930s and 1940s. He then launched a solo career that spanned an impressive six decades, showcasing his distinctive voice and remarkable ability to interpret and deliver lyrics with unmatched emotion. Sinatra's influence extended beyond the realms of music. He made significant strides in film, earning critical acclaim for performances in movies like From Here to Eternity, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The multi-talented star also made his mark in television and radio, further cementing his status as a versatile entertainer. Despite facing professional setbacks and personal tribulations during the 1950s, Sinatra bounced back stronger, solidifying his position as a cultural icon with albums like Come Fly With Me and My Way. Away from the spotlight, Sinatra was known for his philanthropic endeavors. He was deeply involved in various charitable causes, particularly those focused on child welfare and health. His legacy continues to thrive, long after his death on May 14, 1998, influencing generations of artists across different genres.
- Birthplace: Hoboken, New Jersey, USA
- Gilda Radner, an icon of comedy, was born on June 28, 1946, in Detroit, Michigan. She established her career in the entertainment industry as a comedian and actress, quickly rising to prominence as one of the original cast members of the critically acclaimed NBC show Saturday Night Live (SNL). Radner's remarkable ability to bring characters to life with her unique brand of humor earned her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music in 1978. Radner was known for several memorable SNL characters, including the obnoxious news reporter Roseanne Roseannadanna and the elderly, hard-of-hearing Emily Litella. These characters not only brought laughter to millions but also showcased Radner's unparalleled talent for character creation and improvisation. Beyond her SNL fame, she also made significant contributions to theater and film, such as her Broadway show Gilda Radner - Live from New York and her roles in movies like Hanky Panky and Haunted Honeymoon. Despite her successful career, Radner faced personal challenges. In 1986, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, a battle she fought publicly, becoming a symbol of courage and resilience. Her autobiography, It's Always Something, published posthumously in 1989, offered candid insights into her journey. The legacy of Gilda Radner extends beyond her comedic genius, and her advocacy continues to inspire and support those battling cancer through organizations like Gilda's Club. Radner's life was a testament to the power of laughter, even in the face of adversity.
- Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Humphrey Bogart, born on Christmas Day in 1899, was a trailblazer in the world of American cinema and a linchpin of Hollywood's Golden Age. The son of a surgeon and a famed magazine illustrator, Bogart was raised in an affluent household in New York City, which provided him with a privileged upbringing that ultimately didn't satisfy his adventurous spirit. This led him to enlist in the United States Navy during World War I, marking his first departure from societal expectations and foreshadowing his future unconventional career path. Upon his return from the war, Bogart began exploring the performing arts, making his stage debut in 1921. Despite initial struggles, he persevered and gradually carved out a niche for himself within Broadway's thriving theatrical scene. His breakout role came in the form of a menacing gangster in the 1936 film The Petrified Forest, which catapulted him into the limelight and paved the way for a series of iconic performances. It was during this time that Bogart developed what would become his trademark on-screen persona - the tough yet vulnerable antihero, often embroiled in morally ambiguous situations. Bogart's illustrious career spanned three decades and encompassed over seventy-five films, including classics like Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, and The African Queen, the latter earning him an Academy Award for Best Actor. Despite facing personal challenges such as a tumultuous love life and health issues, Bogart remained unwaveringly dedicated to his craft until his untimely demise from cancer in 1957. His legacy, however, continues to resonate within the entertainment industry, with his distinctive style and indelible performances serving as a testament to his enduring influence on the cinematic landscape.
- Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
- 1Casablanca1,087 Votes
- 2The Maltese Falcon864 Votes
- 3The Big Sleep736 Votes
- Yul Brynner, born in 1920, was a celebrated actor of Russian origin, noted for his stoic, commanding presence and distinctive shaved head. His journey to stardom was far from conventional, with early years spent performing in the circus before transitioning into acting. Born as Yuliy Borisovich Briner in Vladivostok, Russia, Brynner's family fled the country during the political upheaval of the 1930s, which eventually led him to settle in New York City in the United States. Brynner's career truly took off when he played the iconic role of King Mongkut in The King and I, a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. His performance was widely acclaimed, earning him a Tony Award in 1952. This role became so definitive that he reprised it more than 4,500 times on stage over the course of his career. His success on stage paved the way to Hollywood where he starred in films like The Ten Commandments (1956) and Anastasia (1956), further establishing his reputation as a versatile and charismatic actor. Despite his successful career, Brynner was also known for his activism. He used his public platform to advocate against smoking after being diagnosed with lung cancer, even filming an anti-smoking public service announcement that aired posthumously. In 1985, he succumbed to the disease. His enduring legacy has been recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and induction into the Theater Hall of Fame.
- Birthplace: Vladivostok, Primorsky Province, Russia
- 1The Magnificent Seven164 Votes
- 2The King and I146 Votes
- 3The Ten Commandments119 Votes
- Born in 1949 in New York City, Andy Kaufman was an enigmatic figure in the world of entertainment. Known for his eccentric and often unorthodox performances, Kaufman carved out a unique niche in comedy that defied conventional norms. From an early age, he exhibited an affinity for performance art, often staging home-made television shows for friends and family, foreshadowing his future career in television and film. Kaufman's fame rose exponentially with his role as Latka Gravas on the popular TV sitcom Taxi. His portrayal of the bumbling foreign mechanic won the hearts of millions, establishing his status as a household name. However, Kaufman's true passion lay beyond traditional acting roles. He thrived in creating perplexing characters that blurred the line between reality and fiction, such as his infamous lounge singer character Tony Clifton. This ability to immerse himself so deeply into his alter egos often left audiences unsure where Kaufman ended and his characters began, leading to an aura of mystery that surrounded his entire career. Despite his success, Kaufman's life was cut tragically short by a rare form of lung cancer in 1984. Yet, even his death was shrouded in uncertainty due to his history of elaborate pranks and hoaxes, leading some fans to believe it was another one of his surreal performance pieces. Regardless of the speculation surrounding his demise, Andy Kaufman's impact on the entertainment industry is undeniable. His innovative approach to comedy and performance art has influenced countless performers, solidifying his place in history as a truly unique and groundbreaking figure.
- Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
- Steve McQueen, whose birth name is Terrence Stephen McQueen, was a renowned actor born on March 24, 1930, in Beech Grove, Indiana. Raised by his grandparents and uncle after his mother became an alcoholic, McQueen faced a tumultuous and rough childhood. Despite the difficulties, he developed a keen interest in acting while attending the Boys Republic in Chino, California as a teenager. His early experiences gave him a unique perspective on life and cultivated a sense of resilience that reflected in his later performances. McQueen's acting career began with minor stage roles before transitioning to the more glamorous world of Hollywood. He achieved significant success during the 1960s and 1970s, becoming one of the highest-paid and most sought-after actors of his time. His most notable films include The Magnificent Seven, Bullitt, and The Great Escape. McQueen's performances were characterized by cool stoicism and understated intensity, which earned him the nickname "The King of Cool." Despite his successful career, McQueen's personal life was marked by multiple marriages, struggles with addiction, and a passion for racing and stunts. Notably, he performed many of his own film stunts, reflecting his love for motorsports. McQueen passed away on November 7, 1980, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico from mesothelioma, a form of cancer often associated with asbestos exposure.
- Birthplace: Beech Grove, Indiana, USA
- Theodor Seuss Geisel ( or (listen); March 2, 1904 – September 24, 1991) was an American children's author, political cartoonist, illustrator, poet, animator, screenwriter, and filmmaker. He is known for his work writing and illustrating more than 60 books under the pen name Doctor Seuss ( or abbreviated Dr. Seuss). His work includes many of the most popular children's books of all time, selling over 600 million copies and being translated into more than 20 languages by the time of his death.Geisel adopted the name "Dr. Seuss" as an undergraduate at Dartmouth College and as a graduate student at Lincoln College, Oxford. He left Oxford in 1927 to begin his career as an illustrator and cartoonist for Vanity Fair, Life, and various other publications. He also worked as an illustrator for advertising campaigns, most notably for FLIT and Standard Oil, and as a political cartoonist for the New York newspaper PM. He published his first children's book And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street in 1937. During World War II, he took a brief hiatus from children's literature to illustrate political cartoons, and he also worked in the animation and film department of the United States Army where he wrote, produced or animated many productions – both live-action and animated – including Design for Death, which later won the 1947 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.After the war, Geisel returned to writing children's books, writing classics like If I Ran the Zoo (1950), Horton Hears a Who! (1955), If I Ran the Circus (1956), The Cat in the Hat (1957), How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957), and Green Eggs and Ham (1960). He published over 60 books during his career, which have spawned numerous adaptations, including 11 television specials, five feature films, a Broadway musical, and four television series. Geisel won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1958 for Horton Hatches the Egg and again in 1961 for And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. Geisel's birthday, March 2, has been adopted as the annual date for National Read Across America Day, an initiative on reading created by the National Education Association.
- Birthplace: Springfield, Massachusetts
- Babe Ruth was born George Herman Ruth Jr. on February 6, 1895, in Baltimore, Maryland. He is an iconic figure in the history of American baseball. His journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of the greatest sports legends continues to inspire generations of athletes. He faced challenges during his early years, including being sent to St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys for truant behavior. Babe Ruth found solace and purpose in baseball and was introduced to the sport by Brother Matthias, one of the monks at the institution. Babe Ruth's professional baseball career started with the Baltimore Orioles in 1914. His unparalleled skills quickly caught the attention of the Boston Red Sox, who signed him later that year. During his tenure with the Red Sox, Ruth established himself as an exceptional pitcher, winning 89 games over six seasons. However, it was his prodigious power as a slugger that would later define his legend. After being sold to the New York Yankees in 1920, Ruth transitioned from a pitcher to a full-time outfielder, a move that allowed his batting prowess to fully shine. Babe Ruth's impact on baseball was transformative. His ability to hit home runs with astonishing frequency changed the game's dynamics, shifting the focus from low-scoring tactical play to high-scoring power hitting. He set numerous records, including 714 career home runs, 2,213 runs batted in, 2,062 bases on balls, and a .690 slugging percentage‚ a sum of which stood for decades. Beyond the statistics, Ruth's larger-than-life personality and love for the game made him a fan favorite. His death on August 16, 1948, marked the end of an era, but his legacy continues to live on, immortalized in the annals of American sports history.
- Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Carl Sagan was a renowned American astronomer, astrophysicist, and author, born on November 9, 1934, in Brooklyn, New York. His profound curiosity about the cosmos was evident from his early years, which led him to study physics and astronomy. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Chicago and subsequently obtained his Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics in 1960. Sagan held academic positions at prestigious institutions such as Harvard University and Cornell University, where he imparted his knowledge to eager minds. Sagan's contributions to the field of space science were nothing short of monumental. He played a pivotal role in NASA's Mariner, Viking, Voyager, and Galileo expeditions to other planets. Notably, he helped select the Mars landing sites for the Viking probes and was instrumental in the creation of the gold-anodized plaques and golden records carried by the Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11, and Voyager spacecraft. These records contained sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life on Earth and were intended for any extraterrestrial life that might find them. Apart from his scientific endeavors, Sagan was an eloquent communicator of science, making complex concepts accessible to the general public. His landmark television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage aired in 1980, captivating millions with its exploration of the universe's mysteries. He also penned many books, including the critically acclaimed Pale Blue Dot and Contact, the latter of which was adapted into a successful film. Sagan passed away on December 20, 1996, but his legacy continues to inspire curiosity and wonder about the cosmos.
- Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Roger Ebert, renown film critic and journalist, was born on June 18, 1942, in Urbana, Illinois. Fascinated by journalism from a young age, Ebert began his career as a sports writer for The News-Gazette in his hometown. His talent for writing was evident early on and, after graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he joined the Chicago Sun-Times as their film critic in 1967 - a position he held for over four decades. Ebert's name became synonymous with film critique, largely due to his sharp and insightful reviews. His unique style of criticism, which paired depth of analysis with approachability, made him a popular figure among both cinephiles and casual viewers. An important milestone in his career was his creation of the movie review television program Siskel & Ebert with fellow critic Gene Siskel. This syndicated show, known for its distinctive "thumbs up, thumbs down" rating system, further solidified Ebert's place in popular culture. Aside from his celebrated work as a film critic, Ebert was also an accomplished author. He penned numerous books on cinema, including I Hated, Hated, Hated This Movie and Your Movie Sucks. His dedication to his craft earned him many accolades, the most significant being the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 1975, making him the first film critic to receive such honor. Despite facing health complications later in life, Ebert continued to share his passion for cinema until his passing in 2013. His legacy continues to influence the world of film critique, underscoring his status as a seminal figure in the realm of entertainment journalism.
- Birthplace: Urbana, Illinois, USA
- On the surface, Graham Chapman seemed the sanest of Britain's Monty Python troupe - he was tall, well-spoken and apparently possessed of refined manners. That veneer soon fell away within minutes of the launch of a sketch, whereupon Chapman would erupt into arias of mad behavior that skewered not only his own appearance, but the staid gentility of England's upper class. He found that streak of inspired insanity while a student at Cambridge, and with fellow alum John Cleese, began contributing to UK television and radio comedies. In 1969, he and Cleese teamed with Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones to form Monty Python, an unbridled comedy troupe whose stream of consciousness approach would have a lasting impact on world humor for decades to come. Chapman remained with Python until his untimely death in 1989, which robbed audiences of one of the most irreverent minds in entertainment.
- Birthplace: Leicester, Leicestershire, England, UK
- Dom DeLuise, a multi-talented icon of the entertainment industry, made his mark with an illustrious career spanning over five decades. Born on August 1st, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York, DeLuise's comedic charm and versatile acting skills quickly propelled him into the limelight. His parents, John and Vincenza DeLuise, were Italian immigrants who instilled in him a love for storytelling and performance, elements that would later underpin his professional achievements. DeLuise delved into acting with appearances in children's theatre at a young age and later honed his craft at Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts. Following his graduation, he debuted on stage with the Cleveland Play House before landing television roles. In the late 1950s, he captured national attention as the mischievous Dominick the Great on The Garry Moore Show. Subsequently, he emerged as a significant figure in Hollywood, starring in timeless classics alongside renowned actors like Burt Reynolds and Gene Wilder. Some of his most notable works include The Cannonball Run, Blazing Saddles, and The End. Besides acting, DeLuise was known for his culinary prowess and authored several cookbooks that showcased his Italian heritage. He also lent his distinctive voice to numerous animated films including An American Tail, All Dogs Go To Heaven, and The Secret of NIMH. Despite battling health issues towards the latter part of his life, DeLuise continued to entertain audiences until his passing on May 4, 2009.
- Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Donna Summer, born as LaDonna Adrian Gaines on December 31, 1948, was an American singer and songwriter who had a great impact on the disco era of music. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, she showed a predilection for music from an early age and started singing in the church choir. Her career took a significant leap forward when she moved to Germany to perform in several musical productions, and it was during this time she adopted the stage name, Donna Summer. Summer's breakthrough arrived with the release of the single "Love to Love You Baby" in 1975, a song that was not only a commercial success but also set the tone for her career as a disco diva. Her unique style of music, often dubbed as 'erotic disco', made her a household name. The late 1970s saw her dominating the charts with hits like "I Feel Love", "Last Dance", and "Hot Stuff". Her album Bad Girls, released in 1979, showcased her versatility by blending elements from different genres like rock, soul, and funk with her signature disco style. Despite her fame in the disco scene, Summer never confined herself to a single genre. In the 1980s, she ventured into pop music, creating hits like "She Works Hard for the Money" and "This Time I Know It's for Real". Throughout her career, Summer was recognized with multiple accolades, including five Grammy Awards. She continued making music until her untimely death in 2012, leaving behind a legacy that influenced a new generation of musicians. Her contributions to music and the impact she had on the disco era ensured her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.
- Birthplace: Boston, USA, Massachusetts
- Adam Yauch, famously known as MCA, was an influential figure in the music industry, best known for being a founding member of the pioneering hip-hop group, Beastie Boys. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1964, Yauch grew up with an avid interest in music and film, which later played a significant role in his career. He attended Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn's Midwood neighborhood, where he met Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz, forming the core of what would soon become the Beastie Boys. In 1981, the Beastie Boys emerged from New York City's hardcore punk scene and gradually transitioned into hip-hop, a move that was largely influenced by Yauch. His raspy voice became one of the band's most distinctive elements, contributing significantly to their unique sound. The Beastie Boys' debut album, Licensed to Ill, was the first rap record to top the Billboard chart, cementing the trio's place in music history. Throughout their career, they released several critically acclaimed albums and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a testament to their impact on popular music. Aside from his musical exploits, Yauch was also an accomplished filmmaker under his pseudonym, Nathanial Hörnblowér. He directed several of Beastie Boys' music videos and founded Oscilloscope Laboratories, an independent film production and distribution company. A passionate advocate for social justice, Yauch notably organized the Tibetan Freedom Concerts in the late 1990s to raise awareness about human rights abuses in Tibet. Despite his death in 2012, Yauch's legacy continues to influence and inspire musicians and activists around the world.
- Birthplace: New York City, Brooklyn Heights, USA, New York
- The leaner, meaner, faster-talking half of one of America's greatest comedic duos, Bud Abbott, along with his partner Lou Costello, was one of Hollywood's biggest stars throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Born into a show business family, Abbott already had years of experience as a show producer, promoter and performer by the time he teamed up with fellow vaudevillian Costello in the mid-1930s. Growing recognition on the stages of New York eventually led to a guest stint on a popular national radio program, followed by their first film as a team, "One Night in the Tropics" (1940). With the massive success of their sophomore effort, "Buck Privates" (1941), Abbott and his cohort became two of the biggest movie stars of the wartime era. More hit films like "Pardon My Sarong" (1942), "In Society" (1944) and "The Naughty Nineties" (1945), combined with popular radio appearances on their own program and others like "The Kate Smith Show" - which first broadcast their famous "Who's on First?" routine - kept them at the top of the entertainment heap. The comedy-monster mash-up "Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein" (1948) marked the beginning of their "Abbot and Costello Meet " phase. The comedy "Dance with Me, Henry" (1956) marked their final film appearance together before the team split up in 1957 and Costello died in 1959. Semi-retired and in increasingly poor health, Abbott passed away at the age of 78 in 1974. One of the best at what he did and in the underappreciated position of comic foil, Bud Abbott was openly admired by Costello, who frequently insisted, "Comics are a dime a dozen, but good straight men are hard to find."
- Birthplace: Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA
- Charles Laughton, born in Scarborough, England in 1899, was a renowned actor and director who made a significant impact on the world of dramatic arts throughout the mid-20th century. He was the son of Eliza Conlon and Robert Laughton, owners of a hotel business, but his interest deviated from his family's trade to the performing arts. After serving in World War I and graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Laughton embarked on a career that spanned nearly four decades, earning him recognition on both sides of the Atlantic. Laughton's diverse acting portfolio ranged from stage performances in his native England to Hollywood blockbusters. His breakthrough role came in the form of Henry VIII in the film The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), which showcased his exceptional skill for character interpretation and won him an Academy Award for Best Actor. Laughton's incredible talent allowed him to seamlessly transition between genres, from historical dramas like Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) to suspenseful thrillers such as The Night of the Hunter (1955), in which he also took on the role of director. Despite his remarkable success in film, Laughton never abandoned his love for the theater. He co-founded a production company with his wife, Elsa Lanchester, which introduced American audiences to many classic plays. Furthermore, his one-man show, Charles Laughton Reads from Great Literature, won rave reviews and demonstrated his masterful command of language. Beyond his theatrical prowess, Laughton was also a vocal advocate for civil rights. Charles Laughton passed away in 1962, leaving behind an impressive legacy in entertainment history.
- Birthplace: Scarborough, Yorkshire, England, UK
- Alec Guinness, born in London in 1914, etched his name into the annals of cinema history with his superior acting talent and versatile performances. He pioneered a new dimension in acting by taking on various roles and imbuing them with an array of complex characteristics that contributed to their distinctiveness. Guinness was the epitome of versatility, portraying everything from comedic characters to serious dramatic roles with supreme ease and skill. Guinness's journey into the world of acting began when he scored a scholarship to the Fay Compton Studio of Dramatic Art at the age of 18, which laid the foundation for his illustrious career. His talent found its first major appreciation with his performance in Great Expectations, directed by David Lean in 1946. Subsequently, Guinness's collaborations with Lean resulted in several critically acclaimed films like Oliver Twist (1948), The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, and Lawrence of Arabia (1962). These films showcased his ability to adapt to a spectrum of roles and genres, solidifying his status as one of the most revered actors of his time. However, it was his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi in George Lucas's Star Wars series that catapulted him to international fame and immortalized him in the realm of pop culture. Despite initial reservations about the film, Guinness's portrayal of the wise Jedi knight left an indelible mark on cinema, garnering him an Academy Award nomination. Alec Guinness passed away in 2000, leaving behind a rich legacy of performances that continue to inspire and captivate. His contributions to the performing arts earned him numerous accolades including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- Birthplace: London, England, UK
- A lovely and talented star of movie musicals for over two decades who then enjoyed an equally long run on the stage, Ann Miller was one of the prime practitioners of "machine gun tap dancing" and was capable of several hundred taps per minute. Starting in small productions from studios like RKO and Columbia, the long-legged brunette gradually worked her way up to the big-budget musical extravaganzas produced by MGM, where she received guidance from top flight choreographers like Busby Berkeley, Hermes Pan and Nick Castle, and was dubbed Ann "Legs" Miller by influential gossip columnist Walter Winchell. Though her 5 foot-7-inch frame reportedly intimidated screen partners Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, Miller's beauty and irrefutable dancing and singing abilities won her a following, thanks to hits like "Easter Parade" (1948), "On the Town" (1949), "Two Tickets to Broadway" (1951), "Small Town Girl" (1952) and "Kiss Me Kate" (1953). When her MGM contract ended in the mid-1950s, Miller took her talents to the stage and went on to star in various productions, including a hugely successful nine-year run in the musical comedy smash "Sugar Babies" alongside Mickey Rooney. Cast mostly as the second lead in her movies, she did not attain the heights of popularity enjoyed by Ginger Rogers or Eleanor Powell, but Miller was a dazzler in her own right and one of the premiere tap dancers and all-around performers in the Golden Age of movie musicals.
- Birthplace: Houston, Texas, USA
- Harmon Clayton Killebrew, Jr.(; June 29, 1936 – May 17, 2011), nicknamed "The Killer" and "Hammerin' Harmon", was an American professional baseball first baseman, third baseman, and left fielder. During his 22-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Minnesota Twins, Killebrew was a prolific power hitter who, at the time of his retirement, had the fourth most home runs in major league history. He was second only to Babe Ruth in American League (AL) home runs, and was the AL career leader in home runs by a right-handed batter . Killebrew was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984. Killebrew was a stocky 5-foot-11-inch (180 cm) tall, 213-pound (97 kg) hitter with a compact swing that generated tremendous power. He became one of the AL's most feared power hitters of the 1960s, hitting 40 home runs in a season eight times. In 1965, he played in the World Series with the Twins, who lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers. His finest season was 1969, when he hit 49 home runs, recorded 140 runs batted in (RBIs), and won the AL Most Valuable Player Award. Killebrew led the league six times in home runs and three times in RBIs, and was named to thirteen All-Star teams. With quick hands and exceptional upper body strength, Killebrew was known not just for the frequency of his home runs but also for their distance. He hit the longest measured home runs at Minnesota's Metropolitan Stadium, 520 ft (158 m), and Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, 471 ft (144 m), and was the first of just four batters to hit a baseball over the left field roof at Detroit's Tiger Stadium. Despite his nicknames and his powerful style of play, Killebrew was considered by his colleagues to be a quiet, kind man. Asked once what hobbies he had, Killebrew replied, "Just washing the dishes, I guess."After retiring from baseball, Killebrew became a television broadcaster for several baseball teams from 1976 to 1988, and also served as a hitting instructor for the Oakland Athletics.
- Birthplace: Payette, Idaho, USA
- Howard Phillips Lovecraft (US: ; August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American writer of weird fiction and horror fiction. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, he spent most of his life there, and his fiction was primarily set against a New England backdrop. Lovecraft was never able to support himself from earnings as an author and editor, and he subsisted in progressively strained circumstances in his last years. He died of cancer at the age of 46.Lovecraft was virtually unknown during his lifetime and published only in pulp magazines before he died in poverty, but is now regarded as one of the most significant 20th-century authors of weird and horror fiction. Among his most celebrated tales are The Rats in the Walls, The Call of Cthulhu, At the Mountains of Madness, The Shadow over Innsmouth, and The Shadow Out of Time. His writings were the basis of the Cthulhu Mythos, which has inspired a large body of pastiches, games, music and other media drawing on Lovecraft's characters, setting and themes, constituting a wider body of work known as Lovecraftian horror.
- Birthplace: Providence, Rhode Island
- Bea Arthur, born as Bernice Frankel on May 13, 1922 in Brooklyn, New York, was an eminent American actress and comedian whose career spanned over six decades. She kick-started her career in off-Broadway productions before gaining recognition in the early 50s. Her breakthrough role came in the Broadway musical Mame in 1966, where she portrayed the character Vera Charles, earning her a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Arthur's success on stage paved the way for her transition to television, where she left an indelible mark with her iconic roles. Best known for portraying strong female characters, Arthur starred in the CBS sitcom Maude, a spin-off of the popular TV show All in the Family. Her portrayal of Maude Findlay, a feminist living in the suburbs of New York, earned her an Emmy Award in 1977. After seven successful seasons of Maude, Arthur further cemented her legacy in television history by starring in the NBC sitcom The Golden Girls. Her portrayal of Dorothy Zbornak, a sharp-tongued, no-nonsense substitute teacher, garnered her another Emmy Award in 1988. Off-screen, Bea Arthur was just as tenacious and admirable as the characters she played. A dedicated animal rights activist, she used her celebrity status to advocate for animal welfare. In 2002, she was honored with The PETA Humanitarian Award for her tireless work. Bea Arthur passed away on April 25, 2009, leaving behind a rich legacy of stage and screen performances that resonate with audiences even today. Her robust personality, sharp wit, and unwavering dedication to her craft made her a beloved figure in the entertainment industry.
- Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
- George Harrison, widely recognized as the lead guitarist of the Beatles, was born on February 25, 1943, in Liverpool, England. From a young age, he showcased an affinity for music, particularly for guitars, which later propelled him to international stardom. Despite his humble beginnings, his talent and determination led him to become one of the most influential guitarists in the history of rock music. His work with the Beatles, from their formation in 1960 until their disbandment in 1970, brought forth a new era in music, with songs like "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "Something," and "Here Comes the Sun" standing as timeless classics. Harrison's role in the Beatles, however, was not limited to his guitar playing. He also contributed significantly to the band's songwriting, often exploring themes of spirituality and introspection. His interest in Hinduism, Indian culture, and Eastern musical influences were evident in many of his compositions. This distinct flavor added another dimension to the Beatles' music, making it more diverse and eclectic. Post-Beatles, Harrison embarked on a successful solo career, releasing several acclaimed albums like All Things Must Pass and Living in the Material World. Beyond his musical accomplishments, Harrison was also known for his philanthropic efforts. In 1971, he organized the Concert for Bangladesh, a landmark event in the history of benefit concerts. His dedication to humanitarian causes continued throughout his life, leaving an indelible mark on the world. George Harrison passed away on November 29, 2001, but his legacy continues to inspire generations of musicians and fans alike.
- Birthplace: Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK
- Buster Keaton, born Joseph Frank Keaton on October 4, 1895, stands as one of the seminal figures in American comedy and silent film. From humble beginnings in Piqua, Kansas, Keaton's extraordinary life journey carried him through an illustrious career in entertainment that spanned over six decades. As a child, he was immersed in the world of Vaudeville, touring with his parents' comedic act, which proved instrumental in shaping his unique brand of physical comedy, earning him the nickname The Great Stone Face. Keaton rose to prominence in the 1920s during the golden age of silent films. Recognized for his distinctive deadpan expression, a stark contrast to the exaggerated mannerisms of his contemporaries, Keaton's comedic genius lay in his ability to navigate high-risk physical stunts with a stoic demeanor. His prolific body of work includes iconic films like The General (1926), Sherlock Jr. (1924), and Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928), wherein his innovative use of visual comedy contributed significantly to the evolution of cinematic language. However, the advent of sound in films ushered in a challenging phase for Keaton. He struggled to transition from silent films to "talkies," leading to a decline in his career. Despite personal and professional setbacks, including struggles with alcoholism and financial difficulties, Keaton persevered, eventually experiencing a career revival in the 1950s. His contributions to cinema were recognized with an honorary Academy Award in 1959. Buster Keaton passed away on February 1, 1966, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneering comedian and filmmaker whose influence continues to resonate in contemporary cinema.
- Birthplace: Piqua, Kansas, USA
- Roddy McDowall, born in Herne Hill, London in 1928, was a prominent figure in the world of entertainment from his early childhood until his later years. McDowall's career path was diverse, encompassing an array of titles such as actor, voice artist, film director and photographer. He began his acting journey as a child artist in England during the 1930s, before immigrating to the United States in 1940 due to the outbreak of World War II. McDowall soon established himself as a talented young actor in Hollywood with films like How Green Was My Valley and Lassie Come Home. McDowall's transition from child to adult roles occurred seamlessly, which is a testament to his versatile acting skills. In the 1960s, he was lauded for his remarkable performances in the original Planet of the Apes series, where he portrayed various characters, most notably, Cornelius and Caesar. His performances in these films proved pivotal in the evolution of science fiction cinema. Apart from this, McDowall also made notable appearances in other film and television productions like The Poseidon Adventure, Cleopatra, and Batman: The Animated Series. In addition to his acting prowess, McDowall left a profound impact on the film industry through his photography. His keen eye behind the lens captured the essence of Hollywood and its stars during the golden era. McDowall's photographs are revered today as insightful documentation of Hollywood's history. Despite his passing in 1998, Roddy McDowall's legacy lives on, continuing to inspire generations of actors, filmmakers, and photographers. His multifaceted career, spanning over six decades, remains a significant part of Hollywood's rich tapestry.
- Birthplace: Herne Hill, London, England, UK
- Jack French Kemp (July 13, 1935 – May 2, 2009) was an American politician and a professional player in both American football and Canadian football. A member of the Republican Party from New York, he served as Housing Secretary in the administration of President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1993, having previously served nine terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1971 to 1989. He was the Republican Party's nominee for Vice President in the 1996 election, where he was the running mate of presidential nominee Bob Dole. Kemp had previously contended for the presidential nomination in the 1988 Republican primaries. Before entering politics, Kemp was a professional quarterback for 13 years. He played briefly in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL), but became a star in the American Football League (AFL). He served as captain of both the San Diego Chargers and Buffalo Bills and earned the AFL Most Valuable Player award in 1965 after leading the Bills to a second consecutive championship. He played in the AFL for all 10 years of its existence, appeared in its All-Star game seven times, played in its championship game five times, and set many of the league's career passing records. Kemp also co-founded the AFL Players Association, for which he served five terms as president. During the early part of his football career, he served in the United States Army Reserve. As an economic conservative, Kemp advocated low taxes and supply-side policies during his political career. His positions spanned the social spectrum, ranging from his conservative opposition to abortion to his more libertarian stances advocating immigration reform. As a proponent of both Chicago school and supply-side economics, he is notable as an influence upon the Reagan agenda and the architect of the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, which is known as the Kemp–Roth tax cut. After his days in political office, Kemp remained active as a political advocate and commentator; he served on corporate and nonprofit organization boards. He also authored, co-authored, and edited several books. He promoted American football and advocated for retired professional football players. Kemp was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 by President Barack Obama.
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
- While he only made five pictures in his all too brief career, noted supporting actor John Cazale made the most of his brief time on screen before his life was cut short by bone cancer. Having had his start on the stage with notable performances in off-Broadway productions, Cazale was cast by director Francis Ford Coppola to play the weak and ineffectual Fredo Corleone in "The Godfather" (1972). His part was small and less fiery than those of co-stars Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, James Caan and Robert Duvall, but Cazale gave everything he had and made his moments count. Coppola cast him again as Gene Hackman's sound assistant in the paranoid thriller "The Conversation" (1974) and expanded Fredo's role significantly for "The Godfather, Par II" (1974). Cazale shined as the traitorous Fredo in the second installment, but really came into his own opposite Pacino in Sidney Lumet's "Dog Day Afternoon" (1975), which marked the best collaboration between the two acting partners. After returning to the stage and falling deeply in love with a then-unknown Meryl Streep, Cazale received a terminal prognosis of bone cancer, which almost jeopardized him being cast in Michael Cimino's "The Deer Hunter" (1978). Cazale's scenes were filmed quickly and died before the film was released, leaving behind a brief legacy that included only five films, but all of which were nominated for Best Picture.
- Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Ernest Ladd (November 28, 1938 – March 10, 2007), nicknamed "the Big Cat", was an American professional football player and a professional wrestler. A standout athlete in high school, Ladd attended Grambling State University on a basketball scholarship before being drafted in 1961 by the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League (AFL). Ladd found success in the AFL as one of the largest players in professional football history at 6' 9" and 315 pounds. He helped the Chargers to four AFL championship games in five years, winning the championship with the team in 1963. He also had stints with the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Oilers. Ladd took up professional wrestling during the AFL offseason, and after a knee injury ended his football career turned to it full-time in 1969. As a wrestler, Ladd became one of the top heels in the business. For much of his career he played a villainous character who would arrogantly taunt both opponents and crowds. Ladd feuded with many popular wrestlers of the time, including Wahoo McDaniel, André the Giant, Bobo Brazil, Dusty Rhodes, and Mr. Wrestling. He retired from the ring in 1986. Ladd was inducted into the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame in 1981, the Grambling State University Hall of Fame in 1989, and the WWF Hall of Fame in 1995. Ladd was diagnosed with colon cancer in the winter of 2003–2004. He died on March 10, 2007 at the age of 68.
- Birthplace: USA, Rayville, Louisiana
- Aaron Russo was an American producer, actor, director, and writer who was known for producing "The Rose" and "Trading Places." Russo won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1978 for "Bette Midler -- Ol' Red Hair Is Back."
- Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Golden Age Hollywood's ultimate O.G., Edward G. Robinson made a living as a "tough guy" in a raft of iterations, from hardboiled newspaperman to intrepid G-man. In real life soft-spoken, intellectual and selfless, Robinson would nevertheless imprint himself as cold-eyed Machiavellian thugs in such film classics as "Little Caesar" (1931), "The Sea Wolf" (1941) and "Key Largo" (1948) - though he could also single-handedly lift films with his rapid-fire comic timing, as with such screwball outings as "The Whole Town's Talking" (1935), and with colorful, cerebral supporting roles, as in "Double Indemnity" (1944). Able to command the screen by both verve and subtlety, he played his roles with such archetypal distinction and verbal flare that he would wind up inspiring a number of cartoon characters, from the shorts of Warner Bros. studio-mate Bugs Bunny while he was alive to lovably inept constable Chief Wiggum in American television's longest-running show, "The Simpsons" (Fox, 1989- ).
- Birthplace: Bucharest, Romania
- Clara Lou Sheridan (February 21, 1915 – January 21, 1967), known professionally as Ann Sheridan, was an American actress and singer. She worked regularly from 1934 to her death in 1967, first in film and later in television. Notable roles include San Quentin (1937) with Pat O'Brien and Humphrey Bogart, Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) with James Cagney and Bogart, They Drive by Night (1940) with George Raft and Bogart, The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942), Kings Row (1942) with Ronald Reagan, Nora Prentiss (1947), and I Was a Male War Bride (1949) with Cary Grant.
- Birthplace: Denton, Texas, USA
- Don Adams made America laugh at its Cold War paranoia as the star of the hit sitcom "Get Smart" (NBC/CBS, 1965-1970). Created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, the series lampooned the high-tech wizardry of NBC's "Man from U.N.C.L.E." (1964-68), finding boundless comic potential in Adams' maladroit secret agent Maxwell Smart. Adams' death in September 2005 robbed the actor of the chance to see his creation revived by Warner Brothers in "Get Smart" (2008). Assuming the mantle and low-tech shoe-phone of Maxwell Smart, rubber-faced Steve Carell turned in a performance that was as much a tribute to Adams as to the original series, opening the door for a new generation of fans to discover one of American television's greatest comic talents.
- Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
- Édith Piaf (French: [edit pjaf] (listen); born Édith Giovanna Gassion; 19 December 1915 – 10 October 1963) was a French singer, songwriter, cabaret performer and film actress noted as France's national chanteuse and one of the country's most widely known international stars.Piaf's music was often autobiographical and she specialized in chanson and torch ballads about love, loss and sorrow. Her most widely known songs include “La Vie en rose" (1946), "Non, je ne regrette rien" (1960), "Hymne à l'amour" (1949), "Milord" (1959), "La Foule" (1957), "L'Accordéoniste" (1940), and "Padam, padam..." (1951). Since her death in 1963, several biographies and films have studied her life, including 2007's Academy Award-winning La Vie en rose — and Piaf has become one of the most celebrated performers of the 20th century.
- Birthplace: France, Paris, Belleville, Paris
- Jane Addams (September 6, 1860 – May 21, 1935) was an American settlement activist, reformer, social worker, sociologist, public administrator, and author. She was a notable figure in the history of social work and women's suffrage in the United States and an advocate for world peace. She co-founded Chicago's Hull House, one of America's most famous settlement houses. In 1910, Addams was awarded an honorary master of arts degree from Yale University, becoming the first woman to receive an honorary degree from the school. In 1920, she was a co-founder for the ACLU. In 1931, she became the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and is recognized as the founder of the social work profession in the United States. She is increasingly being recognized as a member of the American pragmatist school of philosophy, and is known by many as the first woman "public philosopher in the history of the United States".In the Progressive Era, when presidents such as Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson identified themselves as reformers and social activists, Addams was one of the most prominent reformers. She helped America address and focus on issues that were of concern to mothers, such as the needs of children, local public health, and world peace. In her essay "Utilization of Women in City Government," Addams noted the connection between the workings of government and the household, stating that many departments of government, such as sanitation and the schooling of children, could be traced back to traditional women's roles in the private sphere. Thus, these were matters of which women would have more knowledge than men, so women needed the vote to best voice their opinions. She said that if women were to be responsible for cleaning up their communities and making them better places to live, they needed to be able to vote to do so effectively. Addams became a role model for middle-class women who volunteered to uplift their communities.
- Birthplace: Cedarville, Illinois
- Sammy James Davis, Jr. (born April 8, 1980) is a former American football cornerback. He is a businessman and owner of the Austin Capitals, an American Basketball Association franchise. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers 30th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas A&M. Davis also played for the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- Birthplace: Humble, Texas
- Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986), better known as Desi Arnaz, was a Cuban-born American actor, musician, and television producer widely noted for his role as Ricky Ricardo on the American television series sitcom I Love Lucy, where he co-starred with his then wife, dramatic and comedic actress Lucille Ball (1911–1989). Arnaz and Ball are generally credited as the innovators of the syndicated rerun, which they pioneered with the I Love Lucy series.Arnaz and Lucille Ball co-founded and ran the television production company called Desilu Productions, originally to market I Love Lucy to television networks. After I Love Lucy ended, Arnaz went on to produce several other television series, at first with Desilu Productions, and later independently, including The Ann Sothern Show and The Untouchables. He was also renowned for leading his Latin music band, the Desi Arnaz Orchestra.
- Birthplace: Santiago, Cuba
- Jackie Gleason, an iconic figure in the world of entertainment, is best known for his role as Ralph Kramden in the 1950s television sitcom The Honeymooners. Born on February 26, 1916, in Brooklyn, New York, Gleason's early life was marked by hardship. His mother passed away when he was only 19, and his father had abandoned the family long before. These challenging circumstances didn't stop Gleason from pursuing his love for entertainment, however. He began his career performing stand-up comedy at clubs in New York City before breaking into Broadway and eventually television and film. Gleason's big break came in 1949 when he landed a hosting gig for the variety show Cavalcade of Stars. His comedic genius and unparalleled timing were quickly recognized, leading to his starring role in The Honeymooners in 1955. The show, with Gleason at the helm as the lovable yet hot-tempered bus driver Ralph Kramden, became a beloved staple of American television. Gleason's ability to portray Kramden's raw human emotions made him a relatable character, and audiences across the country fell in love with his performance. In addition to his success with The Honeymooners, Gleason also made a significant impact in the world of music and film. He released several successful "mood music" albums under the Capitol Records label and starred in notable films like The Hustler (1961), earning him an Academy Award nomination. Despite facing personal struggles, including battles with obesity and alcoholism, Gleason's legacy continues to resonate throughout the entertainment industry. His contributions have been recognized with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for both television and film, showcasing the breadth of his talent and influence. Jackie Gleason passed away on June 24, 1987, but his humor, charm, and undeniable talent continue to enchant audiences worldwide.
- Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA
- A staggering array of more than 4,000 television commercial appearances as motormouthed pitchman Ernest P. Worrell helped to boost actor Jim Varney from television comedian to starring roles in "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1993) and "Toy Story" (1995) before his untimely death in 2000. Born James Albert Varney, Jr. on June 15, 1949 in Lexington, Kentucky, his ability to memorize long poems and fiction passages, as well as a knack for imitating voices on cartoons, led to enrollment in children's theater. He soon established himself as a talented performer, winning local drama competitions and working the nightclub circuit in his teenaged years, which soon led to roles in summer stock theater and at the famed Opryland USA theme park. Performances at the Comedy Store helped Varney earn a route into television, first as a sketch player on "Johnny Cash and Friends" (CBS, 1976) and later, as various rural types on episodic series, including mechanic-turned-daredevil Virgil Simms on "Fernwood 2-Night" (syndicated, 1977) and hardluck sailor "Doom and Gloom" Broom on "Operation Petticoat" (ABC, 1977-1979). However, Varney's path to fame would come via an unlikely source: regional television commercials. Having played a tough drill instructor, Sgt. Glory, in a series of ads for the Southern Dairy Commission, Varney was tapped by advertising executives John Cherry III and Jerry Carden to play Ernest P. Worrell, a rubber-faced yokel who harangued an off-screen neighbor named Vern to try various products. After making his debut appearance in a commercial for an amusement park in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Cherry and Carden licensed Ernest for use in promotional campaigns throughout the South, including Laclede Gas, Braum's Ice Cream and countless auto dealerships. Ernest's influence soon expanded to California and the Mid-Atlantic states, which prompted Varney and Cherry to compile a collection of comedy video shorts for the direct-to-video release "Knowwhutimean? Hey Vern, It's My Family Album" (1983). To the surprise of many, it proved exceedingly popular, as did Ernest's first theatrical feature, "Ernest Goes to Camp" (1987). Ernest was soon a near-ubiquitous presence in American media, with eight features, all overseen by Cherry and four issued by Walt Disney Pictures, unspooling between 1988 and 1998, a short-lived television series, "Hey, Vern, It's Ernest!" (CBS, 1988), which earned Varney a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performing in a Children's Series, as well as a seemingly ceaseless string of television commercials. As with all pop culture fads, Ernest's popularity began to wilt in the early '90s: his features no longer earned theatrical release, but by that time, Varney had begun to escape his chatterbox screen persona. He gave a well-regarded turn as Jed Clampett in a big-screen adaptation of "The Beverly Hillbillies," and endeared himself to a new generation of young children as the voice of the faithful Slinky Dog in "Toy Story" and its 1999 sequel. In interviews, Varney hoped to step into serious roles - he had performed Shakespeare in summer stock - but harmless, kid-friendly features and television proved to be his most consistent showcase. He would never have the opportunity to display his classical talents: Varney was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1998, but continued to act while undergoing chemotherapy to combat the disease. He experienced a brief remission, and made what would be his final screen appearance in the Billy Bob Thornton comedy "Daddy and Them" (2001). He died before its release on February 10, 2000.
- Birthplace: Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Jean Genet (French: [ʒɑ̃ ʒənɛ]; (1910-12-19)19 December 1910 – (1986-04-15)15 April 1986) was a French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist. Early in his life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but he later took to writing. His major works include the novels The Thief's Journal and Our Lady of the Flowers, and the plays The Balcony, The Maids and The Screens.
- Birthplace: France, Paris
- As an Oscar-winning director-producer-actor, Sydney Pollack was remembered as a filmmaker capable of delivering A-list star power in commercially successful, as well as artistically respectable, feature films throughout the 1970s and '80s. A career that began as an actor and acting coach eventually led to directing, thanks to the advice of actor Burt Lancaster. After years of honing his directorial skills on television, Pollack began picking up feature film work in the mid-'60s. The grueling Depression-era drama "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" (1969) garnered him his first Academy Award nomination and put Pollack on the map as a director of note. He would direct Robert Redford in a total of seven movies, with efforts like "The Way We Were" (1973) and "Three Days of the Condor" (1975) numbering among the star's most popular. "Tootsie" (1982) elevated the director to an elite level of power and prestige in Hollywood few enjoyed. Pollack went on to win two Oscars as a director and producer for his work on the sweeping romance "Out of Africa" (1985). And while the latter film marked the apex of Pollack's directing career, he continued to turn in deft performances as an actor on such hit series as "Will & Grace" (NBC, 1998-2006) and in acclaimed films like "Michael Clayton" (2007). Consistently in tune with the socio-political themes of the time, Pollack effectively tapped in to the American psyche time and again throughout his decades-long filmmaking career.
- Birthplace: Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Born in California in 1914, Joe DiMaggio, affectionately known as "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," emerged as one of the most iconic figures in American sports history. He was the eighth child born to Sicilian immigrants who lived a meager existence fishing off the San Francisco bay. Despite these humble beginnings, DiMaggio rose to become an outstanding baseball player, creating a legacy that resounds throughout Major League Baseball (MLB) even decades after his retirement. DiMaggio's professional baseball career began with the San Francisco Seals, a minor league team, but his extraordinary talent couldn't be contained for long. He moved on to play for the New York Yankees in 1936, marking the start of a distinguished 13-season career in MLB. Throughout his time with the Yankees, DiMaggio set numerous records, including an unrivaled 56-game hitting streak in 1941, a record that still stands today. His consistency at bat coupled with his outstanding fielding skills won him three MVP awards and helped lead the Yankees to nine World Series titles. However, DiMaggio's life wasn't only about baseball. He served in the military during World War II, which interrupted his playing career for almost three years. His personal life also garnered significant public attention, particularly his marriage to Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe. While their marriage was short-lived, it intensified the spotlight on DiMaggio's life beyond baseball. DiMaggio passed away in 1999, leaving behind a monumental legacy that transcends sport. His impact both on and off the field makes him one of the most influential figures in American sports history.
- Birthplace: USA, California, Martinez
- Nathaniel Adams Coles, known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an iconic figure in the American music industry. Born on March 17, 1919, in Montgomery, Alabama, he embarked on a career that spanned three decades and saw him rise from a struggling nightclub singer to a world-renowned musician. Notable for his smooth baritone voice and jazz piano performances, Nat King Cole made a significant impact on the music landscape. From an early age, Cole showed an affinity for music. His family's move to Chicago when he was four years old exposed him to the city's vibrant jazz scene, fueling his passion. He formed the King Cole Trio in the mid-1940s, a group that played an essential role in elevating Cole's profile in the music arena. The trio's success led to a recording contract with Capitol Records, where Cole produced several hits like "Straighten Up and Fly Right," "The Christmas Song," and "Mona Lisa." Despite the racial prejudice he faced throughout his career, Nat King Cole broke significant barriers for African-American artists. He was the first African-American performer to host a variety television series, The Nat King Cole Show, which aired from 1956 to 1957. This achievement was a milestone in American television history, inspiring future generations of artists. Nat King Cole left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry, influencing countless musicians with his exceptional talent and resilience. He passed away on February 15, 1965, but his legacy continues to resonate in the realms of jazz and pop music.
- Birthplace: Montgomery, Alabama
- George Michael Cohan (July 3, 1878 – November 5, 1942), known professionally as George M. Cohan, was an American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer and theatrical producer. Cohan began his career as a child, performing with his parents and sister in a vaudeville act known as "The Four Cohans". Beginning with Little Johnny Jones in 1904, he wrote, composed, produced, and appeared in more than three dozen Broadway musicals. Cohan wrote more than 50 shows and published more than 300 songs during his lifetime, including the standards "Over There", "Give My Regards to Broadway", "The Yankee Doodle Boy" and "You're a Grand Old Flag". As a composer, he was one of the early members of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). He displayed remarkable theatrical longevity, appearing in films until the 1930s, and continuing to perform as a headline artist until 1940. Known in the decade before World War I as "the man who owned Broadway", he is considered the father of American musical comedy. His life and music were depicted in the Oscar-winning film Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) and the 1968 musical George M!. A statue of Cohan in Times Square New York City commemorates his contributions to American musical theatre.
- Birthplace: USA, Providence, Rhode Island
- María Eva Duarte de Perón (UK: , US: , Spanish: [maˈɾi.a ˈeβa ˈðwaɾte ðe peˈɾon]; 7 May 1919 – 26 July 1952) was the wife of Argentine President Juan Perón (1895–1974) and First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952. She is usually referred to as Eva Perón or Evita. She was born in poverty in the rural village of Los Toldos, in the Pampas, as the youngest of five children. At 15 in 1934, she moved to the nation's capital of Buenos Aires to pursue a career as a stage, radio, and film actress. She met Colonel Juan Perón there on 22 January 1944 during a charity event at the Luna Park Stadium to benefit the victims of an earthquake in San Juan, Argentina. The two were married the following year. Juan Perón was elected President of Argentina in 1946; during the next six years, Eva Perón became powerful within the pro-Peronist trade unions, primarily for speaking on behalf of labor rights. She also ran the Ministries of Labor and Health, founded and ran the charitable Eva Perón Foundation, championed women's suffrage in Argentina, and founded and ran the nation's first large-scale female political party, the Female Peronist Party. In 1951, Eva Perón announced her candidacy for the Peronist nomination for the office of Vice President of Argentina, receiving great support from the Peronist political base, low-income and working-class Argentines who were referred to as descamisados or "shirtless ones". Opposition from the nation's military and bourgeoisie, coupled with her declining health, ultimately forced her to withdraw her candidacy. In 1952, shortly before her death from cancer at 33, Eva Perón was given the title of "Spiritual Leader of the Nation" by the Argentine Congress. She was given a state funeral upon her death, a prerogative generally reserved for heads of state. Eva Perón has become a part of international popular culture, most famously as the subject of the musical Evita (1976). Cristina Álvarez Rodríguez claims that Evita has never left the collective consciousness of Argentines. Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, the first woman elected President of Argentina, claims that women of her generation owe a debt to Eva for "her example of passion and combativeness".
- Birthplace: Argentina, Los Toldos
- Pete Postlethwaite, born in 1946 in Lancashire, England, was a renowned British actor whose impactful performances transcend generations. Renowned for his distinctive facial features and immersive acting style, Postlethwaite was once described by Steven Spielberg as "the best actor in the world". He began his journey into acting at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which eventually led him to tread the boards of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Postlethwaite's career spanned over four decades, with his talent providing him opportunities across film, television, and theater. Notable roles include the character Giuseppe Conlon in the film In the Name of the Father (1993), for which he received an Oscar nomination. His ability to encapsulate and portray a diverse range of characters earned him parts in other high-profile films like The Usual Suspects (1995) and Jurassic Park: The Lost World (1997). Although Postlethwaite had a prolific film career, he never abandoned his love for the stage. He was part of the Royal Shakespeare Company and played key roles in productions such as Antony and Cleopatra and The Merchant of Venice. He passed away in 2011, yet his impact on the acting world remains significant.
- Birthplace: Warrington, England, UK
- An intense character actor who specialized in playing cranky or seamy types, Miguel Ferrer first gained notice in films as the greedy businessman who played an instrumental role in the creation of "Robocop" (1987). He was also remembered as Albert Rosenfield, the foul-tempered FBI forensics expert, on David Lynch's cult soap, "Twin Peaks" (ABC, 1990-91) and in the feature "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me" (1992). The eldest son of actor Jose Ferrer and singer Rosemary Clooney, Ferrer was drawn to the drums as a child after seeing Little Ricky play them on "I Love Lucy" and Ringo Starr perform with The Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show." A professional musician by his late teens, Ferrer was chosen as one of three drummers -- including Ringo Starr -- to perform on Keith Moon's 1975 solo album Two Sides of the Moon. Fittingly, he made his acting debut playing a drummer in an episode of "Sunshine" (NBC, 1975), a sitcom co-starring his friend and fellow musician Bill Mumy (best remembered for playing Will Robinson on "Lost in Space"), who snared him the gig. Apart from music, Ferrer became a busy character actor in films and TV beginning in the 1980s. In 1990 alone his output included recurring roles on "Twin Peaks" and "Shannon's Deal" (NBC 1990-91), a starring role in the "Drug Wars: The Camarena Story" (NBC 1990) miniseries, a starring role as a Blue Bayou cop in his own series "Broken Badges" (CBS 1990-91) and supporting roles in two features, "Revenge" and "The Guardian." Ferrer achieved leading man status in the little-seen thriller "The Harvest" (1993) but continued working primarily as a character actor for the rest of his career, appearing in films ranging from the knockabout comedy sequel "Hot Shots! Part Deux" (1993) to Steven Soderbergh's drug-trafficking drama "Traffic" (2000). While continuing to appear in films such as Jonathan Demme's remake of "The Manchurian Candidate" (2004) and Shane Black's "Iron Man 3" (2013), Ferrer also lent his distinctive voice to animated films ranging from Disney hit "Mulan" (1998) to singing-birds sequel "Rio 2" (2014). Miguel Ferrer died of esophageal cancer on January 19, 2017 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 61.
- Birthplace: Santa Monica, California, USA
- From an early age Eve Arden evinced brilliant comic timing that set her apart from the rank and file of young Hollywood hopefuls. A seasoned stock player out of high school, she made her film debut in an early talkie, but it was on Broadway and radio that she cultivated her brand as a tart-tonged comedienne. Given a small role in RKO's "Stage Door" (1937), Arden so impressed director Gregory La Cava that he ordered her part expanded to give her equal time alongside stars Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers and Lucille Ball. Better roles followed, supporting the Marx Brothers in "At the Circus" (1939) and playing the first of many independent professional women in "Comrade X" (1940) opposite Clark Gable. Arden flourished as a second female lead and was nominated for an Academy Award for playing the best friend of Joan Crawford's anguished "Mildred Pierce" (1945). In 1948, she created the role of spinster schoolteacher "Our Miss Brooks" for CBS radio and brought the character to television four years later. Moving effortlessly between the stage and screens big and small, Arden remained a viable character player well past retirement age, upstaging film newcomers John Travolta and Olivia Newton John in "Grease" (1978). Ill health forced Arden's retirement in 1987 while her death from cancer in 1990 dropped the curtain on the brilliant career of a unique and irreplaceable comic talent.
- Birthplace: Mill Valley, California, USA
- Alistair Cooke (20 November 1908 – 30 March 2004) was a British writer whose work as a journalist, television personality and radio broadcaster was done primarily in the United States. Outside his journalistic output, which included Letter from America and America: A Personal History of the United States, he was well known in the United States as the host of PBS Masterpiece Theatre from 1971 to 1992. After holding the job for 22 years, and having worked in television for 42 years, Cooke retired in 1992, although he continued to present Letter from America until shortly before his death. He was the father of author and folk singer John Byrne Cooke.
- Birthplace: Salford, Lancashire, England, UK
- Golda Meir (born Golda Mabovitch; May 3, 1898 – December 8, 1978) was an Israeli teacher, kibbutznik, stateswoman, politician and the fourth Prime Minister of Israel. Born in Kiev, she immigrated to the United States as a child with her family in 1906, and was educated there, becoming a teacher. After marrying, she and her husband immigrated to then Mandatory Palestine in 1921, settling on a kibbutz. Meir was elected prime minister of Israel on March 17, 1969, after serving as Minister of Labour and Foreign Minister. The world's fourth and Israel's first and only woman to hold the office, she has been described as the "Iron Lady" of Israeli politics; the term was later applied to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Former Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion used to call Meir "the best man in the government"; she was often portrayed as the "strong-willed, straight-talking, grey-bunned grandmother of the Jewish people."Meir resigned as prime minister in 1974, the year following the Yom Kippur War. She died in 1978 of lymphoma.
- Birthplace: Kiev, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
- Harold Pinter, born in the heart of London in 1930, is a name that resonates profoundly in the realm of drama and literature. He emerged from humble beginnings, the son of a Jewish dressmaker, to become one of the most influential playwrights in the late 20th century. His early exposure to the arts, including a passion for acting fostered during his time at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, spurred him on a path that would redefine theatrical norms. Pinter's works, often labeled as "comedies of menace", are celebrated for their unique Pinteresque style characterized by economical dialogue, unpredictable plot turns, and an ominous atmosphere of threat. His first play, The Room, premiered in 1957, far from the last in a prolific career spanning over five decades. Some of his most acclaimed works include The Birthday Party, The Homecoming, and Betrayal, each carving its distinctive niche in theatrical literature. Pinter's contributions to theater extend beyond writing as he was also a renowned director and actor, bringing his distinct vision to life on stage. Throughout his illustrious career, Pinter garnered numerous accolades, including the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2005, recognizing his exceptional ability to "uncover the precipice under everyday prattle and force entry into oppression's closed rooms". His legacy continues to reverberate in modern drama, shaping the way stories are told on stage. Harold Pinter passed away in 2008, yet his work remains eternally influential, a testament to a lifetime devoted to undressing society's facades through the power of words and silence.
- Birthplace: Hackney, London, England, UK
- John Michael Crichton (; October 23, 1942 – November 4, 2008) was an American author, screenwriter, and film director and producer best known for his work in the science fiction, thriller, and medical fiction genres. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and over a dozen have been adapted into films. His literary works are usually within the action genre and heavily feature technology. His novels epitomize the techno-thriller genre of literature, often exploring technology and failures of human interaction with it, especially resulting in catastrophes with biotechnology. Many of his novels have medical or scientific underpinnings, reflecting his medical training and scientific background. He wrote, among other works, The Andromeda Strain (1969), The Great Train Robbery (1975), Congo (1980), Sphere (1987), Jurassic Park (1990), Rising Sun (1992), Disclosure (1994), The Lost World (1995), Airframe (1996), Timeline (1999), Prey (2002), State of Fear (2004), and Next (2006). Films he wrote and directed included Westworld (1973), Coma (1978), The Great Train Robbery (1979), Looker (1981), and Runaway (1984).
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
- While he definitely ranked among the greatest opera tenors who ever lived, it was Luciano Pavarotti's frequent performances on television that helped make him recognizable even to non-music buffs. Indeed, for roughly four decades, he appeared regularly on televised operas or charity concerts and as a guest on various talk shows. There were three series in particular which his name became closely associated with: "The Metropolitan Opera Presents," "Live from Lincoln Center," and "Great Performances," all of which aired on PBS. His appearances on the first two programs took place from the late '70s to the mid '80s, and included a televised version of "La Bohème" in which he played the main character, Rodolfo. As for "Great Performances," he headlined several episodes that aired during the '90s, most notably 1998's "Pavarotti & Friends for the Children of Liberia," which featured his 1993 charity concert in New York City's Central Park. While his big-screen acting career was mixed--he received a Razzie nomination for 1982's failed romantic comedy "Yes, Giorgio," but positive notes for a filmed version of "Rigoletto" in the same year--his renditions of classic Italian operas and arias have found their way into plenty of films.
- Birthplace: Modena, Italy
- Edward Vincent Sullivan (September 28, 1901 – October 13, 1974) was an American television personality, sports and entertainment reporter, and syndicated columnist for the New York Daily News and the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate. He is principally remembered as the creator and host of the television variety program The Toast of the Town, later popularly—and, eventually, officially—renamed The Ed Sullivan Show. Broadcast for 23 years from 1948 to 1971, it set a record as the longest-running variety show in US broadcast history. "It was, by almost any measure, the last great TV show," said television critic David Hinckley. "It's one of our fondest, dearest pop culture memories."Sullivan was a broadcasting pioneer at many levels during television's infancy. As TV critic David Bianculli wrote, "Before MTV, Sullivan presented rock acts. Before Bravo, he presented jazz and classical music and theater. Before the Comedy Channel, even before there was the Tonight Show, Sullivan discovered, anointed and popularized young comedians. Before there were 500 channels, before there was cable, Ed Sullivan was where the choice was. From the start, he was indeed 'the Toast of the Town'." In 1996, Sullivan was ranked number 50 on TV Guide's "50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time".
- Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
- Constance Ford (born Cornelia M. Ford; July 1, 1923 – February 26, 1993) was an American actress and model. She is best known for her long-running role as Ada Hobson on the daytime soap opera Another World.
- Birthplace: Bronx, New York, USA
- Wesley Earl Craven (August 2, 1939 – August 30, 2015) was an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. He was known for his pioneering work in the genre of horror films, particularly slasher films, where he mixed horror cliches with humor and satire. His impact on the genre was considered prolific and influential. Due to the success and cultural impact of his works in the horror film genre, Craven has been called a "Master of Horror".He is best known for creating A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and Scream (1996), featuring the characters of Freddy Krueger, Nancy Thompson, Ghostface, and Sidney Prescott. His other films include The Last House on the Left (1972), The Hills Have Eyes (1977), Swamp Thing (1982), The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), The People Under the Stairs (1991), Vampire in Brooklyn (1995), Music of the Heart (1999), and Red Eye (2005).
- Birthplace: USA, Cleveland, Ohio
- 1Sidney Prescott44 Votes
- 2Freddy Krueger53 Votes
- 3Ghostface52 Votes
- Harry Robbins "Bob" Haldeman (October 27, 1926 – November 12, 1993) was an American political aide and businessman, best known for his service as White House Chief of Staff to President Richard Nixon and his consequent involvement in the Watergate scandal. Born in California, Haldeman served in the Navy Reserves in World War II and attended UCLA. In 1949, he joined the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency, where he worked for 20 years as a prominent advertising executive in both Los Angeles and New York City. He made a name for himself early in Los Angeles social circles from his work as Chairman of the UCLA Alumni Association and a member of the University of California Board of Regents. A long family association with the Republican Party and his own interest drew Haldeman to politics and he became acquainted with Nixon in the 1950s, for whom he developed both an intense respect and steadfast loyalty. He began as an advance man on President Dwight D. Eisenhower's reelection campaign in 1956, again worked as an advance man on Nixon's 1960 presidential campaign, and managed Nixon's 1962 run for Governor of California. When Nixon was elected President in 1968, he selected Haldeman as his Chief of Staff. Haldeman is credited with implementing more significant changes to White House staffing systems and Executive Branch governance and operations than any Chief of Staff before him or since, and it is the "Haldeman system" that presidential administrations continue to operate on today. His intensity and no-nonsense management style earned him a reputation as a stern taskmaster who expected top-notch performance.After he left the Nixon administration in April 1973, Haldeman was tried on counts of perjury, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice for his role in the Watergate cover-up. He was found guilty and imprisoned for 18 months. Upon Haldeman's release, he returned to private life and was a successful businessman and real estate developer until his death from cancer in 1993 at the age of 67.
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
- David Benjamin Rakoff (November 27, 1964 – August 9, 2012) was a Canadian-born American writer based in New York City, who wrote humorous and sometimes autobiographical non-fiction essays. Rakoff was an essayist, journalist, and actor, and a regular contributor to WBEZ's This American Life. Rakoff described himself as a "New York writer" who also happened to be a "Canadian writer", a "mega Jewish writer", a "gay writer", and an "East Asian Studies major who has forgotten most of his Japanese" writer.
- Birthplace: Montreal, Canada
- Frederick Albert Travalena III (October 6, 1942 – June 28, 2009) was a U.S. entertainer, specializing in comedy and impressions.
- Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
- Carl Burton Stokes (June 21, 1927 – April 3, 1996) was an American politician and diplomat of the Democratic party who served as the 51st mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. Elected on November 7, 1967, and taking office on January 1, 1968, he was the first black elected mayor of a major U.S. city.
- Birthplace: USA, Cleveland, Ohio
- Irvin Kershner (born Isadore Kershner; April 29, 1923 – November 27, 2010) was an American director, actor, and producer of film and television. He gained notice early in his career as a filmmaker for directing quirky, independent drama films, while working as a influential lecturer at the University of Southern California. Later in his career, he transitioned to high-budget blockbusters such as The Empire Strikes Back, the James Bond adaptation Never Say Never Again, and RoboCop 2. Through the course of his career, he received numerous accolades, and was nominated for both a Primetime Emmy Award and a Palme d'Or.
- Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Jean-Claude Brialy (30 March 1933 – 30 May 2007) was a French actor and director.
- Birthplace: Sour El-Ghozlane
- A postal worker by day, Sherman Hemsley studied acting at night until eventually landing the chance to show off his talents on the Broadway stage. Producer Norman Lear caught one of his performances and immediately tapped him to play the irascible George Jefferson on "All in the Family" (CBS, 1971-79) and "The Jeffersons" (CBS, 1975-1985). Hemsley's high-voltage performance, which earned him several award nominations, was popular with television audiences. Subsequent TV series included "Amen" (NBC, 1986-1991) and "Goode Behavior" (UPN, 1996-97), as well as countless TV guest spots. By the late 1990s, he was making regular appearances in commercials and promotions with his former "Jeffersons" TV wife Isabel Sanford, as well as in a play based on the series. There was no denying his impact as a man who broke boundaries as an African-American character who was "movin' on up" in a white man's world, as well as an off-screen African-American actor who conquered the medium of 1970s sitcoms like no other.
- Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944 – November 7, 2011), nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. He reigned as the undisputed heavyweight champion from 1970 to 1973, and as an amateur won a gold medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics. Frazier was known for his strength, durability, formidable punching power, and relentless pressure fighting style. Frazier emerged as the top contender in the late 1960s, defeating opponents that included Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena, Buster Mathis, Eddie Machen, Doug Jones, George Chuvalo, and Jimmy Ellis en route to becoming undisputed heavyweight champion in 1970, and followed up by defeating Muhammad Ali by unanimous decision in the highly anticipated Fight of the Century in 1971. Two years later, Frazier lost his title when he was defeated by George Foreman. He fought on, beating Joe Bugner, losing a rematch to Ali and beating Quarry and Ellis again. Frazier's last world title challenge came in 1975, but he was beaten by Ali in their brutal rubber match, the Thrilla in Manila. He retired in 1976 following a second loss to Foreman. He made a comeback in 1981, fighting just once before retiring. The International Boxing Research Organization rates Frazier among the ten greatest heavyweights of all time. The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1967, 1970 and 1971, while the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) named him Fighter of the Year in 1969, 1971 and 1975. In 1999, The Ring magazine ranked him the eighth greatest heavyweight. BoxRec ranks him as the 18th greatest heavyweight of all time. He is an inductee of both the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame. Frazier's style was often compared to that of Henry Armstrong and occasionally Rocky Marciano, dependent on bobbing, weaving and relentless pressure to wear down his opponents. His best known punch was a powerful left hook, which accounted for most of his knockouts. In his career he lost to only two fighters, both former Olympic and world heavyweight champions: twice to Muhammad Ali, and twice to George Foreman. After retiring, Frazier made cameo appearances in several Hollywood movies, and two episodes of The Simpsons. His son Marvis became a boxer—trained by Frazier himself—but was defeated by an up-and-coming Mike Tyson in 1986. His daughter Jackie Frazier-Lyde also boxed professionally. Frazier continued to train fighters in his gym in Philadelphia. His attitude towards Ali in later life was largely characterized by bitterness and contempt, interspersed with brief reconciliations. Frazier was diagnosed with liver cancer in late September 2011 and admitted to hospice care. He died of complications from the disease on November 7, 2011.
- Birthplace: Beaufort, South Carolina, USA
- Duke Ellington, born Edward Kennedy Ellington in Washington D.C. on April 29, 1899, developed into an iconic figure of the 20th century music, revered for his profound impact on the jazz genre. The son of two pianists, Ellington's musical journey began at the age of seven when he started piano lessons, but it was more than a decade later when he truly fell in love with ragtime. In his early career, he performed in various D.C. clubs before he formed "The Duke's Serenaders" in 1917, heralding the start of his professional music career. The 1920s saw Ellington move to New York City, the epicenter of jazz innovation. His band, renamed "The Washingtonians", played at the Kentucky Club where they caught the attention of agent Irving Mills. This turned out to be a pivotal moment in Ellington's career. Mills helped to secure a spot for the band at the famous Cotton Club, leading to nationwide radio broadcasts that brought Ellington's innovative, orchestral jazz sound into homes across the country. It was during this period that Ellington created some of his most lauded works including Mood Indigo, Sophisticated Lady, and Black and Tan Fantasy. In the following decades, Duke Ellington composed thousands of scores that made a mark on American music. He became renowned for his ability to blend melodies, rhythms and subtle sonic movements into a unified whole. His unique compositions often broke down barriers between different musical genres and influenced not just jazz but the wider world of music. His illustrious career spanned more than half a century, earning him a dozen Grammy awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom among numerous other accolades. Ellington passed away on May 24, 1974, leaving behind a legacy that continues to resonate in contemporary music.
- Birthplace: Washington, D.C., USA
- One of the world's best-known authors, Tom Clancy penned a vast array of densely plotted, action-driven military and spy thrillers over the course of a two-decade career that included such titles as The Hunt for Red October (1984), Patriot Games (1987) and The Sum of All Fears (1991). Clancy's novels, which frequently followed the adventures of CIA analyst - and future President - Jack Ryan, were praised by readers and military personnel alike for their extensive understanding of covert technology and affairs, which led to 10 of his books reaching the top of the New York Times best seller list and Clancy becoming a cottage industry unto himself, with video games like the popular Rainbow Six series and countless tie-in novels to his name. Clancy's work was also frequently adapted into feature films, including 1990's "The Hunt for Red October" and "The Sum of All Fears" (2002). At the time of his unexpected death in 2013, Clancy remained at the top of the publishing industry, with a net worth of some $300 million, and a dedicated readership.
- Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Gennadi Mikhailovich Strekalov (Russian: Генна́дий Миха́йлович Стрека́лов; October 26, 1940 – December 25, 2004) was an engineer, cosmonaut, and administrator at Russian aerospace firm RSC Energia. He flew into space five times and lived aboard the Salyut-6, Salyut-7, and Mir space stations, spending over 268 days in space. The catastrophic explosion of a Soyuz rocket in 1983 led to him being one of only four people to use a launch escape system. He was decorated twice as Hero of the Soviet Union.
- Birthplace: Mytishchi, Russia
- Milton Berle, born on July 12, 1908, in New York City, was a legendary American comedian and actor who left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. His career spanned over 80 years, beginning as a child actor in silent films in the early 20th century and evolving into a comedy icon in television's golden age. Known for his quick wit, outrageous costumes, and larger-than-life personality, Berle became one of the first superstars of television, earning him the nickname "Mr. Television." Berle's comedic talent and charisma were evident from a young age. He won a Charlie Chaplin impersonation contest at the age of five, setting off a career that would see him perform in over 50 silent films before he was 16. However, it was his transition to television that brought him into millions of American living rooms. In 1948, he became the host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater, a variety show that quickly became one of the most popular programs in the country. With his slapstick humor and infectious energy, Berle helped establish the format of the TV variety show, paving the way for future entertainers. Despite his success, Berle's career was not without controversy. His brash style and tendency to take over shows often rubbed his contemporaries the wrong way. Nonetheless, his impact on the entertainment industry is undeniable. In 1984, Berle was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Emmy, recognizing his significant contributions to television. He was also one of the first seven inductees into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1985. Milton Berle passed away in 2002, but his legacy as a pioneer of American television comedy continues to be celebrated today.
- Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
- With each mention of "Survey says," Richard Dawson gained worldwide fame as the wisecracking, very charming host of the long-running television game show, "Family Feud" (ABC, 1976-1985, syndicated 1994- ), which pitted two families against each other in a quest to name the most popular survey answers posed to 100 people. While the very nature of the show created many memorable moments as the contestants frenetically tried to outguess each other, it was Dawson's quick wit, warm personality, and jokes laced with double entendres that made "Family Feud" one of the most popular game shows in history. The British actor and comedian was also called "The Kissing Bandit," "Dickie," and "Kissyface" because he made a habit of kissing every single female contestant, much to their near universal delight. Prior to his eternal "Family Feud" fame, Dawson was already a household name for his recurring role as the jack-of-all-trades Corporal Peter Newkirk on the classic comedy series, "Hogan's Heroes" (CBS, 1965-1974). He was also an audience favorite as one of the panelists on yet another game show of that era, "Match Game '73" (CBS, 1973-79). With such impressive stints as host coupled with a long-standing career in comedy, Dawson remained a beloved television personality long after he had disappeared from the public eye.
- Birthplace: Gosport, Hampshire, England, UK
- Allen Ludden (born Allen Packard Ellsworth, October 5, 1917 – June 9, 1981) was an American television personality, actor, emcee and game show host, perhaps best known for having hosted various incarnations of the game show Password between 1961 and 1980.
- Birthplace: Mineral Point, Wisconsin, USA
- Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks (November 30, 1912 – March 7, 2006) was an American photographer, musician, writer and film director, who became prominent in U.S. documentary photojournalism in the 1940s through 1970s—particularly in issues of civil rights, poverty and African-Americans—and in glamour photography.As the first famous pioneer among black filmmakers, he was the first African American to produce and direct major motion pictures—developing films relating the experience of slaves and struggling black Americans, and creating the "blaxploitation" genre. He is best remembered for his iconic photos of poor Americans during the 1940s (taken for a federal government project), for his photographic essays for Life magazine, and as the director of the 1971 film Shaft. Parks also was an author, poet and composer.
- Birthplace: USA, Kansas, Fort Scott
- Elmer Bernstein (April 4, 1922 – August 18, 2004) was an American composer and conductor known for his film scores. In a career that spanned more than five decades, he composed "some of the most recognizable and memorable themes in Hollywood history", including over 150 original movie scores, as well as scores for nearly 80 television productions. Examples of his widely popular and critically acclaimed works are scores to The Ten Commandments (1956), The Magnificent Seven (1960), To Kill a Mockingbird (1962), The Great Escape (1963), The Rookies (1972-76), Animal House (1978), Airplane! (1980), Heavy Metal (1981), Ghostbusters (1984), The Black Cauldron (1985), Cape Fear (1991), The Age of Innocence (1993), Wild Wild West (1999) and Far from Heaven (2002). Bernstein won an Oscar for his score to Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) and was nominated for 14 Oscars in total. He also won two Golden Globe Awards, an Emmy Award, and was nominated for two Grammy Awards.
- Birthplace: New York City, USA, New York
- As a boy in Mexico Gilbert Roland dreamed of being a bullfighter. But when his family moved to the United States his dreams turned to Hollywood and his name changed from Luis Antonio Dámaso de Alonso to Gilbert Roland, an homage to his favorite performers: John Gilbert and Ruth Roland. As a handsome young man, Roland established his niche early on as a Latin lover, playing opposite silent screen star Clara Bow in the college-set comedy "The Plastic Age." Many romantic roles followed, as did leading roles in Spanish adaptations of American films. In the 1940s, Roland went from matinee idol to respected actor as he developed the recurring character The Cisco Kid, a heroic but brutal Mexican caballero. The Kid first stepped out in the 1946 action-packed film "The Gay Cavalier." Roland went on to appear in six films as the daring cowboy, his fame rising with each new adventure. In 1953, Roland earned the acclaim he sought when his supporting role in the Vincente Minnelli Hollywood-set romance "The Bad and the Beautiful" garnered him a Golden Globe nod. He'd receive a second nomination in 1964 for his portrayal of Second Lieutenant Scott in the bleak John Ford Western "Cheyenne Autumn." The bold-browed actor worked in film until the early 1980s, appearing in more than 100 movies before his death from cancer at age 88. For his contributions to American cinema, Roland was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- Birthplace: Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico
- Freddy Fender (born Baldemar Garza Huerta; June 4, 1937 – October 14, 2006) was an American Tejano, country and rock and roll musician, known for his work as a solo artist and in the groups Los Super Seven and the Texas Tornados. He is best known for his 1975 hits "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" and the subsequent remake of his own "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights".
- Birthplace: San Benito, Texas, USA
- One day in 1940 a pretty 15-year-old girl who had worked as a child model was asked by her party date why she was pulling such a funny face. Checking in the mirror, she was appalled to find that the muscles on the left side of her face had gone totally slack and were paralyzed that way. Diagnosed with Bell's palsy, a rare neurological disorder from which people at the time generally did not recover, the aspiring actress had for a time to close her left eye with her hand when she went to sleep and had to push the left corner of her mouth up into a frozen smile before she went off to school each day. The painstaking therapy she performed on her face not only peaked her ambition to act but also dispelled the disfigurement almost entirely, though one wonders if it may have contributed to the patented look important in making Jane Greer one of the most intriguing performers of her day--a calm, quizzical gaze and an enigmatic expression that led RKO to promote her as "the woman with the Mona Lisa smile."
- Birthplace: Washington, D.C., USA
- Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud (UK: , US: ; French: [aʁtyʁ ʁɛ̃bo] (listen); 20 October 1854 – 10 November 1891) was a French poet known for his influence on modern literature and arts, which prefigured surrealism. Born in Charleville-Mézières, he started writing at a very young age and excelled as a student, but abandoned his formal education in his teenage years to run away from home to Paris amidst the Franco-Prussian War. During his late adolescence and early adulthood he began the bulk of his literary output, then completely stopped writing at the age of 21, after assembling one of his major works, Illuminations. Rimbaud was known to have been a libertine and a restless soul, having engaged in an at-times-violent romantic relationship with fellow poet Paul Verlaine, which lasted nearly two years. After ending his literary career, he traveled extensively on three continents as a merchant before his death from cancer just after his thirty-seventh birthday. As a poet, Rimbaud is well known for his contributions to Symbolism and, among other works, for A Season in Hell, a precursor to modernist literature.
- Birthplace: Charleville-Mézières, France
- Edie Adams (born April 16, 1927 – October 15, 2008) was an American comedienne, actress, singer and businesswoman. She was an Emmy Award nominee and Tony Award winner. Adams was well known for her impersonations of sexy stars on stage and television, especially Marilyn Monroe. She was the wife and frequent television partner of Ernie Kovacs until his death in a 1962 car accident. After Kovacs's death, Adams founded two beauty businesses: Edie Adams Cosmetics and Edie Adams Cut 'n' Curl.
- Birthplace: Kingston, Pennsylvania, USA
- No classic Western fan could mistake character actor Chill Wills for anyone else. First there was the name, then his unforgettable foghorn bellow of a voice. Starting out as a leader of the singing cowboy group the Avalon Boys Quartet, he appeared with the quartet in a number of oaters in the 1930s, most memorably the Laurel and Hardy Western comedy "Way Out West." When he left the group, he focused solely on working in film, landing bit parts in the shadow of bigger stars like John Wayne in "Allegheny Uprising" and Gary Cooper in "The Westerner." His most notable part was voicing the sardonic Francis the mule in six movies from 1950 to 1955. When not playing the mule, Wills frequently worked with one of the true greats of classic Hollywood, John Wayne, and when Wayne finally saddled into the director's chair to make the 1960 epic "The Alamo," Wills was cast in a juicy role. When award season swung around, Wills mounted a notoriously gauche Oscar campaign after he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, much to the horror of Wayne and almost everyone else in Hollywood. He didn't win, though several comedians (including Groucho Marx) made sure to use Wills as their comedic punching bag. Some of his other memorable parts are in the star-studded "Giant"; the roaring Western comedy "McLintock!," with Wayne and Maureen O'Hara; and as a drunken, sweaty saloon keeper in Sam Peckinpah's "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid."
- Birthplace: Seagoville, Texas, USA
- Eugene Nicholas Kiniski (November 23, 1928 – April 14, 2010) was a Canadian athlete who played football for the Edmonton Eskimos and later was a successful professional wrestler recognized as a multiple-time world heavyweight champion. "Canada's Greatest Athlete", as he billed himself for promotional purposes, was born in Edmonton, Alberta. Like Bronko Nagurski before him, Kiniski was one of the first world champions in professional wrestling to have a previous background in football. He is the father of professional wrestler Kelly Kiniski and international amateur and professional wrestler Nick Kiniski.
- Birthplace: Edmonton, Canada
- Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks (June 7, 1917 – December 3, 2000) was an American poet, author, and teacher. Her work often dealt with the personal celebrations and struggles of ordinary people in her community. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry on May 1, 1950, for Annie Allen, making her the first African American to receive the Pulitzer.Throughout her prolific writing career, Brooks received many more honors. She was appointed Poet Laureate of Illinois in 1968, a position she held until her death, and what is now the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress for the 1985–86 term. In 1976, she became the first African-American woman inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters.Brooks was born in Topeka, Kansas and at six-weeks-old was taken to Chicago, where she lived the rest of her life. Her parents, especially her mother encouraged her poetry writing. She began submitting poems to various publications, as a teenager. After graduating high school during the Great Depression, she took a two-year junior college program, worked as a typist, married, and had children. Continuing to write and submit her work, she finally found substantial outlets for her poetry. This recognition of her work also led her to lecturing and teaching aspiring writers. Being the winner of multiple awards for her writing, several schools and institutions have been named in her honor.
- Birthplace: Topeka, Kansas
- A laconic performer who possessed an Everyman quality that rendered him perfect for the small screen, actor Dennis Weaver was a television mainstay for more than 40 years, appearing in a variety of television movies while starring on two long-running series, "Gunsmoke" (CBS, 1955-1975) and "McCloud" (1970-77). Having started his career in features, Weaver made the jump to television with a few guest appearances before spending several seasons playing the popular Chester Goode on "Gunsmoke." After leaving the show in 1964, he built off that success into a number of false starts until finally hitting his stride as the star of "McCloud," which showcased him as an easygoing cowboy lawman dealing with the stark pessimism of New York City - a role that many associated with Weaver above all others. While on the show, he starred as an unassuming motorist terrorized by a trucker in "Duel" (ABC, 1971), and spent the decades after "McCloud" ended in a series of made-for-TV movies and series like "Cocaine: One Man's Seduction" (NBC, 1983) and "Buck James" (ABC, 1987-88). An avowed environmentalist and champion of liberal causes, Weaver forged a legacy beyond Hollywood that highlighted his unending empathy for his fellow man, all while retaining his stature as a notable performer.
- Birthplace: Joplin, Missouri, USA
- Cheryl Walker was an actress who appeared in "Stage Door Canteen," "Three Is a Family," and "Murder Is My Business."
- Birthplace: South Pasadena, California, USA
- Barton MacLane was a prolific film actor, making over 140 film appearances from the early 1930s to the late 1960s, but he is perhaps best known as General Peterson from the classic 1960s sitcom "I Dream of Jeannie." MacLane moved from theater to film in the early 1930s, playing a series of predominantly tough guy roles over the course of the decade. In 1938, he had the lead part in the crime drama "Prison Break." In 1941, he played the supporting part of Sam Higgins in the Spencer Tracy and Ingrid Bergman-starring sci-fi horror film, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." In 1941, MacLane landed a supporting role in the classic film noir mystery "The Maltese Falcon," starring Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade. Later that decade, in 1948, MacLane worked with Bogart again, in a classic of another genre, the adventure-western film "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre." In 1954, MacLane appeared in an altogether different genre, with a supporting part in the James Stewart-starring biopic "The Glenn Miller Story." On TV, MacLane took a lead part in the 1960 western "Outlaws," and later in the decade appeared on two episodes of "Gunsmoke." But his most lasting pop-cultural legacy began in 1965, as the frequently befuddled General Peterson, Major Anthony Nelson's (Larry Hagman) boss on "I Dream of Jeannie," which starred Barbara Eden. MacLane passed away from cancer at age 69.
- Birthplace: Columbia, South Carolina, USA
- An Wang (Chinese: 王安; pinyin: Wáng Ān; February 7, 1920 – March 24, 1990) was a Chinese–American computer engineer and inventor, and co-founder of computer company Wang Laboratories, which was known primarily for its dedicated word processing machines. An Wang was an important contributor to the development of magnetic core memory.
- Birthplace: Shanghai, China
- With an act he had perfected in college, Henry Gibson made his fame in the Sixties playing a stand-up poet reciting ironically inane free verse that parodied the apoplectic poesy of the Beat Generation. Discovered by Jerry Lewis and anointed as Hollywood's go-to odd little man, Gibson parlayed outré guest appearances on such popular television sitcoms as "The Beverly Hillbillies," "F-Troop" and "Bewitched" into a steady gig on the ABC sketch comedy revue "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In." Finding favor with iconoclastic filmmaker Robert Altman, Gibson was cast as little men who exerted a big influence in "The Long Goodbye" (1973) and "Nashville" (1975), while he contributed larger-than-life cameos to John Landis' "The Blues Brothers" (1980) and Joe Dante's "The 'burbs" (1988), playing, respectively, an Illinois Nazi hauptsturmfuehrer and Tom Hanks' sinister next-door neighbor. An in-demand voice artist in later life, Gibson gave speech to characters on a number of animated series and in features, most notably as crusty Texas newsman Bob Jenkins on Fox's "King of the Hill." He impressed the critics with his appearance as an aging, gay barfly in Paul Thomas Anderson's "Magnolia" (1999) and enjoyed semi-regular status as an unorthodox judge on the ABC courtroom drama "Boston Legal" shortly before his death from cancer in September 2009. Though he never fully slipped his early association with comedy, Gibson proved time and again that he was more than just a one-hit-wonder, emerging from the shadow of his "Laugh-In" persona as a character actor of surprising gravity and grace.
- Birthplace: Germantown, Pennsylvania, USA
- Audre Lorde (; born Audrey Geraldine Lorde; February 18, 1934 – November 17, 1992) was an American writer, feminist, womanist, librarian, and civil rights activist. As a poet, she is best known for technical mastery and emotional expression, as well as her poems that express anger and outrage at civil and social injustices she observed throughout her life. Her poems and prose largely deal with issues related to civil rights, feminism, lesbianism, and the exploration of black female identity. In relation to non-intersectional feminism in the United States, Lorde famously said, "those of us who stand outside the circle of this society's definition of acceptable women; those of us who have been forged in the crucibles of difference – those of us who are poor, who are lesbians, who are Black, who are older – know that survival is not an academic skill. It is learning how to take our differences and make them strengths. For the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house. They may allow us temporarily to beat him at his own game, but they will never enable us to bring about genuine change. And this fact is only threatening to those women who still define the master's house as their only source of support."
- Birthplace: Harlem, New York City, New York
- James Bridges began his career as an actor in the late 1950s, but became far better known as a writer and director of hit films in the 1970s and '80s. After a short period as an actor, Bridges wrote for television, including 18 episodes of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (CBS/NBC 1955-1965), and received his first feature credit as co-writer of the western "The Appaloosa". Bridges made his directing debut with "The Baby Maker" (1970), a finely-observed film about a middle-class couple who hire a hippie girl to bear their child after the wife discovers she is infertile. Not a prolific director, Bridges wrote the screenplays for all but the last of the eight films he made between 1970 and 1988. After writing and directing the law school drama "The Paper Chase" (1973), which starred his mentor John Houseman, Bridges hit his commercial peak with "The China Syndrome" (1979), a suspenseful and potent indictment of both the nuclear power industry and the electronic media starring Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon and Michael Douglas. Bridges next helmed the popular John Travolta vehicle "Urban Cowboy" (1980), followed by "Mike's Murder" (1984), a somewhat experimental, atmospheric drama starring "Urban Cowboy" breakout Debra Winger, which became better known for Joe Jackson's haunting score. After the high-profile flop of "Perfect" (1985), a romantic drama set in the aerobics craze starring Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis, Bridges' last film as a director was the adaptation of Jay McInerney's best-selling tale of Manhattan cocaine addiction, "Bright Lights, Big City" (1988). Bridges replaced original director Joyce Chopra after filming had already started, bringing in a new cinematographer and replacing most of the cast beyond stars Michael J. Fox and Kiefer Sutherland. His final produced script was "White Hunter, Black Heart" (1990), director and star Clint Eastwood's behind the scenes story based on the location filming of "The African Queen" (1951). James Bridges died of kidney failure brought on by intestinal cancer on June 6, 1993. He was 57.
- Birthplace: Paris, Arkansas, USA
- Bruce Weigert Paltrow (November 26, 1943 – October 3, 2002) was an American television and film director and producer.He was the husband of actress Blythe Danner, and the father of actress Gwyneth Paltrow and screenwriter/director Jake Paltrow.
- Birthplace: New York City, New York
- Anthony George Newley was born into a working-class family, his father being a shipping clerk. His parents separated and he grew up mostly in the care of his mother. Newley applied to the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London, but found that the tuition was too expensive. Despite this, directors at the school saw him audition and were impressed enough to offer him a job as an office boy, which included free tuition. It was here that television producer Geoffrey de Barkus noticed him and cast him in the title role for his children's show, "The Adventures of Dusty Bales." He then was offered the part of the Artful Dodger in "Oliver Twist." As an older actor, he portrayed Matthew Mugg in the film adaptation of "Doctor Dolittle," and appeared in supporting roles in "Sweet November" and "Jazz Boat." His primary success, however, came as a vocalist and songwriter, with several hits on the U.K. pop chart including the Grammy Award-winning "What Kind of Fool am I?." He wrote the musicals "Stop the World - I Want to Get Off,"
- Birthplace: London, England, UK
- Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. (May 27, 1911 – January 13, 1978) was an American politician who served as the 38th vice president of the United States from 1965 to 1969. He twice served in the United States Senate, representing Minnesota from 1949 to 1964 and 1971 to 1978. He was the Democratic Party's nominee in the 1968 presidential election, losing to Republican nominee Richard Nixon. Born in Wallace, South Dakota, Humphrey attended the University of Minnesota. At one point he helped run his father's pharmacy. He earned a master's degree from Louisiana State University and worked for the Works Progress Administration, the Minnesota war service program, and the War Manpower Commission. In 1943, he became a professor of political science at Macalester College and ran a failed campaign for mayor of Minneapolis. He helped found the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) in 1944. In 1945, he won election as mayor of Minneapolis, serving until 1948 and co-founding the liberal anti-communist group Americans for Democratic Action in 1947. In 1948, he was elected to the U.S. Senate and successfully advocated for the inclusion of a proposal to end racial segregation in the 1948 Democratic National Convention's party platform.Humphrey served three terms in the Senate from 1949 to 1964. He was the Senate Majority Whip from 1961 to 1964. During his tenure, he was the lead author of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, introduced the first initiative to create the Peace Corps, sponsored the clause of the McCarran Act that threatened concentration camps for "subversives", proposed making Communist Party membership a felony, and chaired the Select Committee on Disarmament. He unsuccessfully sought his party's presidential nomination in 1952 and 1960. After Lyndon B. Johnson acceded to the presidency, he chose Humphrey as his running mate, and the Democratic ticket was elected in the landslide 1964 election. In March 1968, Johnson made his surprise announcement that he would not seek reelection, and Humphrey launched his campaign for the presidency. Loyal to the Johnson administration's policies on the Vietnam War, he saw opposition from many within his own party and avoided the primaries to focus on winning the delegates of non-primary states at the Democratic Convention. His delegate strategy succeeded in clinching the nomination, and he chose Senator Edmund Muskie as his running mate. In the general election, he nearly matched Nixon's tally in the popular vote but lost the electoral vote by a wide margin. After the defeat, he returned to the Senate until his death in 1978.
- Birthplace: Wallace, South Dakota, USA
- One of the best known and most effective movie villains of the postwar years, actor Dan Duryea specialized in truly unpleasant figures who lacked even a shred of moral decency in such popular screen efforts as "Ball of Fire" (1941), "Along Came Jones" (1945), "Winchester '73" (1950) and classic noir like "Criss Cross" (1949). A rare screen heel that could charm audiences despite his criminal acts, Duryea enlivened both minor and major features for over a decade, which later boosted him from character player to leading man in the late 1940s and early 1950s, with occasional forays into heroic roles, most notably in "Black Angel" (1946) and on the television series "China Smith" (syndicated, 1952-56). In the late 1950s, Duryea returned to character parts, playing more even-tempered if still deeply flawed men in "The Burglar" (1957) and "The Flight of the Phoenix" (1965) for Robert Aldrich, who cast Duryea in several of his feature efforts. Television became his primary outlet in the 1960s, where he essayed memorable turns on "The Twilight Zone" (CBS, 1959-1964), among countless other shows, while lending his Hollywood pedigree to low-budget efforts for international film producers. A versatile character actor for over 20 years, Dan Duryea proved that, at least in the film business, bad guys sometimes finished first.
- Birthplace: White Plains, New York, USA
- With the transition in Hollywood from silent to talking pictures, audiences most often heard rather than saw Eugene Pallette coming. His once athletic build blown out to rotund proportions and his voice registering an octave lower than a bullfrog's, Pallette was a singular presence among the ranks of studio players during the Great Depression. He found his niche playing irascible big city cops, most famously in five whodunits starring William Powell as debonair sleuth Philo Vance, beginning with "The Canary Murder Case" (1929). Comfortable in the sackcloth of a country cleric, as in "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938) opposite Errol Flynn and "The Mark of Zorro" (1940) with Tyrone Power, Pallette was most widely seen in business attire, playing a Beltway fixer stumped by Senate do-gooder James Stewart in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939), and the patriarch of a wacky Depression-era family in the screwball classic "My Man Godfrey" (1936). Larger than life on the big screen, Pallette was no less outsized in his private life, where he allegedly opposed racial integration and was an early champion of Adolf Hitler. Growing fearful of an impending atomic Armageddon, Pallette stockpiled supplies on an Oregon compound but died of cancer in Hollywood in 1954. The memory of his unpalatable politics lost to time, Pallette lived on in the hearts of moviegoers as an indispensable element of Hollywood's Golden Age, a versatile character actor who could speak for the masses or drown out its voice with his own.
- Birthplace: Winfield, Kansas, USA
- A much-loved comic talent in film and on television for over five decades, Charles Ruggles sputtered, stumbled and clucked his way through a series of popular turns as meek, easily overwhelmed men in such classic films as ""Trouble in Paradise" (1932), "Ruggles of Red Gap" (1935) and "Bringing Up Baby" (1938). Blessed with an expressive face and a voice that rose in register when his characters felt under duress, Ruggles became a scene-stealer of the first order in the late 1930s and early 1940s before stepping away from the cinema to work extensively on stage and in the early days of television. In the latter capacity, he starred on the popular sitcom "The Ruggles" (ABC, 1949-1952) and brought effortless humor as a sage, if still flappable father figure in numerous guest appearances. A welcome presence for film and television audiences for a half-century, Ruggles' comic gifts made him a favorite among classic movie fans and always one of the best elements of any stage or screen production.
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
- Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel (; July 30, 1890 – September 29, 1975) was an American Major League Baseball right fielder, and manager, best known as the manager of both the championship New York Yankees of the 1950s and later, of the expansion New York Mets. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966. Stengel was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1890. In 1910, he began a professional baseball career that would span over half a century. After almost three seasons in the minor leagues, Stengel reached the major leagues late in 1912, as an outfielder, for the Brooklyn Dodgers. His six seasons there saw some success, among them playing for Brooklyn's 1916 National League championship team; but he also developed a reputation as a clown. After repeated clashes over pay with the Dodgers owner, Charlie Ebbets, Stengel was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1918; however, he enlisted in the Navy that summer, for the remainder of World War I. After returning to baseball, he continued his pay disputes, resulting in trades to the Philadelphia Phillies (in 1919) and to the New York Giants (in 1921). There, he learned much about baseball from the manager, John McGraw, and had some of the glorious moments in his career, such as hitting an inside-the-park home run in Game 1 of the 1923 World Series to defeat the Yankees. His major league playing career ended with the Boston Braves in 1925, but he then began a career as a manager. The first twenty years of Stengel's second career brought mostly poor finishes, especially during his MLB managerial stints with the Dodgers (1934–1936) and Braves (1938–1943). He thereafter enjoyed some success on the minor league level, and Yankee general manager George Weiss hired him as manager in October 1948. Stengel's Yankees won the World Series five consecutive times (1949–1953), the only time that has been achieved. Although the team won ten pennants in his twelve seasons, and won seven World Series, his final two years brought less success, with a third-place finish in 1959, and a loss in the 1960 World Series. By then aged 70, he was dismissed by the Yankees shortly after the defeat. Stengel had become famous for his humorous and sometimes disjointed way of speech while with the Yankees, and these skills of showmanship served the expansion Mets well when they hired him in late 1961. He promoted the team tirelessly, as well as managing it to a 40–120 win–loss record, the most losses of any 20th century MLB team. The team finished last all four years he managed it, but was boosted by considerable support from fans. Stengel retired in 1965, and became a fixture at baseball events for the rest of his life. Although Stengel is sometimes described as one of the great managers in major league history, others have contrasted his success during the Yankee years with his lack of success at other times, and concluded he was only a good manager when given good players. Stengel is remembered as one of the great characters in baseball history.
- Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri
- William Earnest "Ernie" Harwell (January 25, 1918 – May 4, 2010) was an American sportscaster, known for his long career calling play-by-play of Major League Baseball games. For 55 seasons, 42 of them with the Detroit Tigers, Harwell called the action on radio and/or television. In January 2009, the American Sportscasters Association ranked Harwell 16th on its list of Top 50 Sportscasters of All Time.
- Birthplace: Georgia, USA, Washington
- Silent screen star Colleen Moore became recognized as one of the premier movie flappers of the day, thanks to her Dutch bob hairstyle, daringly short skirts and vibrant performance in "Flaming Youth" (1923). However, because all of her films were shot in black and white, moviegoers were not entirely aware of the elfin actress' most distinctive feature: she possessed one blue eye and one brown eye. Moore began her career in a diverse array of pictures for several short-lived companies before attaining notoriety at First National Films, which produced her biggest hits. At the height of her fame, Moore was one of the highest paid performers in Hollywood, but unlike later flapper icons Clara Bow and Louise Brooks, she was the "safe" one who briefly flirted with danger, but ultimately came back home. Moore stopped making movies before she had even reached middle-age and later generations probably remembered her more for the incredibly elaborate dollhouse she had commissioned during the late 1920s, which went on to tour the United States, delighting children and collectors. Although she retired from the screen over 50 years before she died, Moore earned herself a place in cinematic and cultural lore for her flapper image, which was a potent symbol of the Roaring Twenties and what that new era of societal change represented for the women of America.
- Birthplace: Port Huron, Michigan, USA
- George Hislop (June 3, 1927 – October 8, 2005) was one of Canada's most influential gay activists. He was one of the earliest openly gay candidates for political office in Canada, and was a key figure in the early development of Toronto's gay community.
- Birthplace: Toronto, Canada
- Ever-smiling, world-class tap artist who danced her way through a dozen successful MGM musicals in the late 1930s and early 40s before retiring from the screen--save for a guest role in "The Duchess of Idaho" (1950). Typically cast as the determined hopeful whose talent and determination get her to the top, Powell was not a major actress, but she did display exuberance and a certain tongue-in-cheek charm, and her aggressive, androgynous dancing style made her as familiar a sight in top hat and tails as Fred Astaire.
- Birthplace: Springfield, Massachusetts, USA
- Prolific actor/director Gene Nelson appeared in more than 60 productions and helmed another 50 in a career that spanned five decades, but his first ambition was to become a dancer after he saw Fred Astaire's musical comedy "Flying Down to Rio." Nelson spent three years of touring with the Sonja Henie Ice Show, did a stint in the Army during World War II, and then made his way to Broadway and into movies. He began with small parts, but his film acting career took off in the 1950s with a notable role in the Doris Day musical romantic-comedy "Tea for Two," which won him a Golden Globe award for Most Promising Newcomer. He went on to appear regularly in film and television throughout the decade, but by the early 1960s, he'd found a new interest--directing--and helmed several episodes of the action-packed Western "The Rifleman." Nelson would make the occasional guest appearance into the 1980s, and a brief foray into screenwriting earned him a Writers Guild Award nomination in 1965 for the Elvis Presley musical "Kissin' Cousins," but his main focus was directing. Although his directing career never earned him the kind of praise he'd seen as an actor or a screenwriter, Nelson worked steadily through the 1960s and '70s, helming a variety of programs, from the magic-infused sitcom "I Dream of Jeannie" to the chic spy drama "The Mod Squad." By the 1980s he had retired, and little was heard from him prior to his death from cancer in 1996.
- Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, USA
- Actress Gail Davis appeared on the big screen many times over the course of her Hollywood career. In 1958, she appeared in "Wide, Wide World: The Western." Davis's career beginnings included film roles in "The Far Frontier" (1948), "Sons of New Mexico" (1950) and "Silver Canyon" (1951). Later, she acted in "The Old West" (1952), "Wagon Team" (1952) and the Gene Autry western "Goldtown Ghost Riders" (1953). She also appeared in the Bob Hope comedy "Alias Jesse James" (1959) and "Coffy" (1973). Later in her career, Davis appeared on "Gene Autry: Melody of the West" (AMC, 1994-95). Davis was married to Bob Davis and had one child. Davis passed away in March 1997 at the age of 72.
- Birthplace: Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- Charles H. Whitebread (April 2, 1943 – September 16, 2008) was the George T. Pfleger Professor of Law at the University of Southern California Law School. He was an authority on criminal law and criminal procedure, writing and lecturing on those and other subjects throughout the United States.
- Bimal Roy (Bengali: বিমল রায়; 12 July 1909 – 8 January 1966) was a Bengali Indian film director. He is particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films such as Do Bigha Zamin, Parineeta, Biraj Bahu, Madhumati, Sujata, Parakh and Bandini, making him an important director of Hindi cinema. Inspired by Italian neo-realistic cinema, he made Do Bigha Zamin after watching Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves (1948). His work is particularly known for his mise en scène which he employed to portray realism. He won a number of awards throughout his career, including eleven Filmfare Awards, two National Film Awards, and the International Prize of the Cannes Film Festival. Madhumati won 9 Filmfare Awards in 1958, a record held for 37 years.
- Birthplace: Bengal Presidency
