Famous People Born In 1923

Musician Hank Williams is widely considered one of the most influential and significant American singer-songwriters of the 20th century. Hank Williams influenced several singers, such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, and Charley Pride to name a few. Since his untimely death at the age of 29, many artists have released tribute albums honoring Hank Williams.  

Bob Barker is a retired TV game show host. Barker is credited with making CBS's The Price Is Right the longest-running daytime game show in the history of North American television, hosting the show from 1972 to 2007. Also an animal rights activist, Barker has supported groups like the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and the United Activists for Animal Rights.

Richard Attenborough is credited with making one of the greatest films of all time - Gandhi. Also an actor, Richard served as the president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Apart from being honored by the British royalty, he was also honored with India's third-highest civilian award, The Padma Bhushan.

Charlton Heston was an American actor whose cinematic legacy became the subject of an 11-film retrospective titled Cinematic Atlas: The Triumphs of Charlton Heston. Also a political activist, Charlton Heston was one of the few Hollywood actors to criticize racism in the 1950s and 1960s; he was also a supporter of the Civil Rights Movement.

Alan Shepard was an astronaut and the first American to travel into space. In 1971, Shepard became the fifth and oldest astronaut to walk on the Moon; he was 47 years and 80 days old at that time. From 1963 to 1969, he played an important role as the Chief of the Astronaut Office. His work inspired several TV series.

An automobile designer known for his involvement with the AC Shelby Cobra and Ford Mustang, Carroll Shelby was also a well-known racing driver, and a successful entrepreneur, who established Shelby American after a heart ailment put an end to his racing career.  Meanwhile, he also ran a a high-performance driving school and published a memoir entitled The Carroll Shelby Story.

Lawyer-turned-politician Lee Kuan Yew, also known as LKY, was the first prime minister of Singapore, from 1959 to 1990. He established the People's Action Party. He later also served as his country’s Senior Minister and Minister Mentor. He was also part of David Rockefeller's International Council and Forbes's Brain Trust.

Bob Dole is an American retired politician who remains active in public life. Before commencing his political career, Dole served in the United States Army during World War II. For his service in the army and later as a politician, Bob Dole has been honored with several prestigious awards, such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and Presidential Citizens Medal.

Anne Baxter is best remembered for her Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning performance as Sophie MacDonald in The Razor's Edge. Her other notable projects were the film All About Eve and the series The Name of the Game. She also actively participated in Republican campaigns.

Model Bettie Page was an iconic figure in pop culture in the 1950s. Considered a sex symbol, she was most popular for her pin-up photos. In 1955, she became one of the earliest Playmates of the Month for Playboy magazine. After a short but immensely successful modeling career, she converted to Christianity and quit modeling.

Jean Stapleton was an American actress best known for her portrayal of Edith Bunker in the popular sitcom, All in the Family, for which she won two Golden Globe Awards and three Emmy Awards. In 2002, she was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame as well as the Television Hall of Fame.

Peter Lawford, a member of the "Rat Pack,” appeared in quite a few MGM films such as Son of Lassie and Two Sisters from Boston. He also appeared in series such as The Thin Man. His first wife, Patricia Helen Kennedy, was the sister of John F. Kennedy.

Cliff Robertson was an American actor whose career spanned half a century. He is best known for his portrayal of Charly Gordon in the 1968 drama film Charly, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Also a well-known aviator, Robertson owned several aircraft, such as a Messerschmitt Bf 108 and multiple de Havilland Tiger Moths.

Ted Knight was an American actor known for portraying comedic roles in TV series like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Too Close for Comfort. For his contributions to the TV industry, Knight was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 1985. After his death, his hometown of Terryville dedicated a bridge in his memory.

Dale Robertson was an American actor who achieved popularity in the 1950s, playing important roles in Western films, such as Return of the Texan and The Outcasts of Poker Flat. In 1985, he was honored with a Golden Boot Award for his contribution to Western films and TV series. 

Norman Mailer was an American journalist, novelist, essayist, filmmaker, actor, and playwright. A prolific writer, Mailer had at least one best-selling book in each of the seven decades post Second World War. Overall, he had 11 best-selling books in a career spanning over 60 years. A recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, Mailer is regarded as an innovator of New Journalism.

Henry Kissinger's heart-warming story of a Jewish who fled Nazi Germany in 1938 to become an influential politician in the USA is truly inspirational. As a National Security Advisor and US Secretary of State, Kissinger played a key role in the US foreign policy from 1969 to 1977. 

Eugene Sledge was a US Marine, author, and university professor. He is remembered for chronicling his Second World War combat experiences in a memoir titled With the Old Breed, which was used as source material for a television documentary miniseries titled The War. The memoir also inspired the 2010 HBO miniseries, The Pacific, where Sledge was played by Joseph Mazzello.

Wally Schirra was an American NASA astronaut, test pilot, and naval aviator. He achieved popularity in 1959, when he became one of the seven astronauts chosen for Project Mercury. In 1962, he was part of Mercury-Atlas 8 and became only the ninth human to travel into space. Wally Schirra was portrayed by Lance Henriksen in the film, The Right Stuff.