Famous People Born Today

Widely regarded as the godfather of gangsta rap, Eazy-E was a rapper and record producer. He played a major role in popularizing gangsta rap and West Coast rap by forming N.W.A, which is considered one of the most influential and greatest hip hop groups of all time. Eazy-E died at the age of 30 after being diagnosed with AIDS.

Musician and singer-songwriter Buddy Holly was a central figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. Born to a musical family, he learned to sing and play the guitar as a child. He began his career as a teenager and found much success within a short period. Sadly, he died in an aircraft crash when he was just 22 years old.

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.

Born to actor Goldie Hawn and musician Bill Hudson, Oliver Hudson was later raised by Hawn and her partner Kurt Russell. He began his career with several teen movies and then soared to fame with the series Dawson's Creek, Rules of Engagement, and Nashville. He is also the brother of actor Kate Hudson.

Elia Kazan was an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. Widely regarded as one of the most influential and celebrated directors in Hollywood and Broadway history, Kazan played a key role in launching the careers of actors like Marlon Brando, Warren Beatty, and James Dean. His work has also influenced other prominent filmmakers like Martin Scorsese.

Corbin Bernsen is best known as Arnold Becker from L.A. Law and as Dr. Alan Feinstone from The Dentist. He also appeared as Roger Dorn in the Major League film franchise. He has authored a novel and owns a production company. He has a huge collection of  snow globes, too.

Toby Jones is best known for his Golden Globe-nominated portrayal of Alfred Hitchcock in The Girl and his BAFTA-winning role in Detectorists. Fans also loved him in the films Infamous and Frost/Nixon. He voiced Dobby in the Harry Potter movies and played Arnim Zola in Marvel films.

Daniel Inouye was a US Senator from Hawaii. He was the highest-ranking Asian-American politician until 2021 when Kamala Harris of Indian origin became vice president. Inouye is also known for his participation in World War II where he lost his right arm. For his bravery in World War II, he was honored with the United States’ highest military award, the Medal of Honor.

Alyssa Diaz is an American actress known for playing important roles in TV series, such as As the World Turns, The Nine Lives of Chloe King, Army Wives, and Ray Donovan. Thanks to her Colombian and Mexican origin, Diaz has been typecast into playing Hispanic characters. She is currently playing Mika Camarena in the crime drama TV series, Narcos: Mexico.

J. P. Morgan Jr. was an American finance executive, banker, and philanthropist. He became the head of the investment banking institution, J.P. Morgan & Co., after his father J. P. Morgan's demise in 1913. J. P. Morgan Jr. was also an important philanthropist, who donated his London residence to the U.S. government in 1920.

Stanislav Petrov was a Russian military officer who played an important role in the Soviet nuclear false alarm incident of 1983. His actions during the Cold War in 1983 are said to have prevented a full-scale nuclear war that could have been disastrous for Soviet Union, the USA and its NATO allies.

National Film Award- and Padma Shri-winning Indian Malyali actor Muhammad Kutty Panaparambil Ismail, or Mammootty, is a superstar in Southern India. Initially a lawyer, he later soared to fame with films such as Vidheyan and Mathilukal. He also chairs Malayalam Communications and is devoted to medical and other charitable causes.

Born in Ghana, Marcel Desailly first gained attention after moving to the Olympique de Marseille and winning the UEFA Champions League. He then gained fame with AC Milan and Chelsea, and was part of the 1998 World Cup-winning French squad. A BBC Sport pundit post-retirement, he also represents UNICEF. 

Anna Mary Robertson, better known as Grandma Moses, revolutionized American folk art with her iconic depictions of American rural life. After spending 15 years of her life working as a housekeeper, she deviated toward embroidery. A bout of arthritis made her switch to painting in her late 70s.

Dean-Charles Chapman has delivered stellar performances as Billy Elliot in Billy Elliot the Musical, as Tom Blake in 1917, and as Tommen Baratheon in Game of Thrones. He also played the titular character in the sitcom The Revolting World of Stanley Brown, and Castor in Into the Badlands.

A master of what he called dynamic cubism, 20th-century American painter Jacob Lawrence experimented with a variety of media, such as tempera, cardboard, and paper.  His narrative painting consisted of scenes from Black history. The Migration of the American Negro remains one of his best creations.

Cardiac surgeon Michael DeBakey pioneered many treatments of cardiovascular ailments and also invented instruments such as the roller pump, later used for open-heart surgery procedures. He was also instrumental in developing MASH units and was awarded several prestigious awards, such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal.

Laura Ashley was a Welsh businesswoman and fashion designer. She is credited with co-founding a British textile design company called Laura Ashley plc, which became an international retail chain after some 20 years from its founding. Two years after her death, the Laura Ashley Foundation was established in order to fund arts and social welfare projects.

Grandson of the founder of the Nahdatul Ulama, Abdurrahman Wahid shunned the orthodox education at his university in Cairo and immersed himself in American movies, football, and Marxism. The former Indonesian president was a Magsaysay Award winner and is remembered for promoting peace, education, and social development.