Famous People Born Today

Born into a family of mixed ancestry in Texas, actor Matthew McConaughey had an interesting childhood. He played sports as a young boy and aspired to become a lawyer. However, he ultimately changed course to venture into acting, a field where he was able to make a mark with his brilliant performances. He is also a producer.

Ralph Macchio is best known for his role in three Karate Kid films and Cobra Kai, a sequel television series. The Outsiders, Eight Is Enough, My Cousin Vinny, Crossroads, Ugly Betty and Hitchcock are some of his other notable films. He’s also been part of some TV projects and took part in the reality television show Dancing with the Stars.

Markie Post is an American actress known for playing important roles in popular TV series, such as The Fall Guy, Night Court, and Hearts Afire. Before starting her acting career, Markie Post worked on game shows. She worked as an associate producer for Double Dare, which ran from 1976 to 1977. Markie Post has also voiced animated characters like June Darby.

Five-time Emmy Award-winning actor Doris Roberts is best remembered as Marie Barone from the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond and as Mildred Krebs from Remington Steele. She also appeared on various talk/game shows and in films such as The Honeymoon Killers. She was a prominent animal rights activist, too.

Loretta Swit is a veteran American stage and small screen actress who became a household name with her award-winning portrayal of Major Margaret ‘Hot Lips’ Houlihan in M*A*S*H, a comedy-drama series on CBS television. Apart from playing a wide range of character roles on television and stage, she also appeared in movies and hosted a documentary on the Korean war.

Laura Bush is an American educator. She served as the First Lady of the US from 2001 to 2009, during which she encouraged education and helped advance women's causes through non-profit organizations. Regarded as one of the most famous American First Ladies, Laura Bush focused on raising awareness about malaria and HIV/AIDS.

Steven Ogg is a Canadian actor known for his roles in popular TV series like The Walking Dead, Westworld, Law & Order, and Better Call Saul. He is also renowned for voicing Trevor Philips in the popular video game Grand Theft Auto V, for which he received several award nominations, including a nomination for the prestigious British Academy Games Award.

Famous as the host of two-decade-old American reality show Survivor, Jeff Probst is an award-winning television personality, particularly noted for his catch-phrase, "The tribe has spoken. It's time for you to go”. Celebrity Superfan Roundtable is another prominent TV show hosted by him. People magazine recognized him as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in 2001.

Art Carney is best remembered for his Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning role of Harry Coombes in the film Harry and Tonto. The six-time Emmy-winning actor had also gained fame as Ed Norton in the sitcom The Honeymooners. He had suffered a leg injury while serving at World War II.

Curtis Stone is an Australian celebrity chef, TV personality, and author. One of the proteges of Marco Pierre White, Curtis Stone is best known for appearing in several popular cooking shows, including Saturday Kitchen, Take Home Chef, and MasterChef Australia. Also known for his humanitarian efforts, Stone works closely with a domestic hunger-relief charity called Feeding America.

A child prodigy who was never formally educated, Shakuntala Devi became a mathematical genius earning the title of Human Computer for her exceptional calculating abilities. The Indian genius was also an astrologer and a gifted writer who authored books on maths, astrology, homosexuality in India and a crime thriller novel.

South Korean actor So Ji-sub is known for his leading role in the TV series  What Happened in Bali. He began his career as a model in commercials and slowly worked his way up to acting. After playing a few supporting roles, he catapulted to fame with his performance in the TV series I'm Sorry, I Love You.

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.

John Basilone was a US Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant who played a crucial role in the Battle for Henderson Field, for which he was honored with the Medal of Honor. Basilone died during the Battle of Iwo Jima and was posthumously honored with the Navy Cross, becoming the only enlisted Marine to receive these two decorations in World War II.

Tabu is an Indian actress best known for her work in the Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu film industries. One of the most celebrated actresses of her generation, Tabu is renowned for playing unconventional roles. In 2011, she was honored with the Padma Shri by the Indian Government. She has also received other prestigious awards, such as National Film Awards.

Scottish singer Lena Zavaroni is an example of how harmful unregulated childhood stardom can be. At 10, she became the youngest singer with a Top 10 album on the UK Albums Chart. However, after a lifelong battle with anorexia nervosa and depression, she died at 34, following a psychosurgical operation.

Tony Abbott is a former politician who served as Australia's 28th prime minister from 2013 to 2015. Over the years, Abbott has had a major impact on society, thanks to his community service. He is an active volunteer for agencies and institutions like the New South Wales Rural Fire Service and Queenscliff's Surf Life Saving Club.

Nobel Prize-winning Chinese physicist Charles K. Kao is best remembered for his discovery of how light is transmitted through fibre-optic cables. Named the Godfather of Broadband, he was also knighted by the U.K. Following his diagnosis of Alzheimer disease, he co-founded the Charles K. Kao Foundation for Alzheimer’s Disease.