Famous Birthdays on August 17

Birthdays 1 - 200 of 248

• 1473 Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, son of King Edward IV, one of the princes in the tower who disappeared (d. 1483?)
• 1578 Francesco Albani, Italian painter (d. 1660)
• 1586 Johann Valentin Andreae, German theologian and writer (claimed to have written Rosicrucian text), born in Herrenberg, Württemberg (d. 1654)

• 1607 Pierre de Fermat, French mathematician who needed wider margins (Fermat's Last Theorem), born in Beaumont-de-Lomagne, France (d. 1665) [date disputed]
• 1629 John III Sobieski, King of Poland (1674-96), victor over the Turks in 1683, born in Olesko, Kingdom of Poland (d. 1696)
• 1686 Nicola Antonio Porpora, Italian composer and singing teacher, born in Naples, Kingdom of Naples, Spanish Empire (now Italy) (d. 1768)
• 1720 Charles-Dominique-Joseph Eisen, French engraver and painter (Contes de La Fontaine), born in Valenciennes, France (d. 1778)
• 1753 Josef Dobrovský, Czech linguist (d. 1828)
• 1768 Louis Charles Antoine Desaix, French general (d. 1800)
• 1775 Philippe Libon, Spanish composer, born in Cadiz, Spain (d. 1838)
• 1779 Franz de Paula Roser, Austrian composer and conductor, born in Naarn, Upper Austria (d. 1830)

• 1786 Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, mother of Queen Victoria, born in Coburg, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1861)
• 1794 Prince Alexander of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst, German priest (d. 1849)
• 1811 Jan Hendrik Scholten, Dutch radical theologist (Free Will), born in Vieuten, Netherlands (d. 1885)
• 1817 Joseph Kervyn de Lettenhove, Belgian politician and literary figure, born in Sint-Michiels, Belgium (d. 1891)
• 1819 James Henry Van Alen, American Brigadier General (Union Army), born in Kinderhook, New York (d. 1886)
• 1828 George William Warren, American composer and organist, born in Albany, New York (d. 1902)
• 1828 Jules Bernard Luys, French neurologist (d. 1897)
• 1834 Peter Benoit, Flemish composer (De Leie; Rubens Cantata: Requiem), and conductor, born in Harelbeke, Flanders (d. 1901)
• 1838 Laura de Force Gordon, California lawyer, a prominent suffragette, and 1st woman to run a daily newspaper in the US (Stockton Daily Leader, 1874), born in North East, Pennsylvania (d. 1907)
• 1839 Hubert Platt Main, American hymn composer, and music publisher, born in Ridgefield, Connecticut (d. 1925)
• 1839 Matthijs Maris [Thijs], Dutch painter and etcher influenced by Pre-Raphaelites, born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1917)
• 1840 Wilfrid Scawen Blunt, English writer (Irish Land League), traveller and Arabian stud founder, born in Petworth, England (d. 1922)
• 1841 Luis Nicolau Fagunde Varela, Brazilian romantic poet (Cântico do Calvário, born in Rio Claro, Brazil (d. 1875)

• 1851 Henry Drummond, Scottish geologist and evangelist (The Greatest Thing in the World), born in Stirling, Scotland (d. 1897)
• 1856 Vernon Lee [Violet Paget], British author (Satan the master), born in Boulogne, France (d. 1935)
• 1863 Gene Stratton-Porter, American author and naturalist (d. 1924)
• 1866 Julia Marlowe [Sarah Frances Frost], English-American Shakespearean actress, born in Cumberland, England (d. 1950)
• 1866 Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, 6th Nizam of Hyderabad (d. 1911)
• 1870 Frederick F. Russell, American army physician, developed 1st successful typhoid fever vaccine, born in Auburn, New York (d. 1960)
• 1873 John A. Sampson, American gynecologist (d. 1946)
• 1876 Eric Drummond, British politician and diplomat, 1st Secretary-General of League of Nations (1919-33), born in Fulford, England (d. 1951)
• 1876 Henri Winkelman, Dutch general, Commander-in-Chief of Dutch Armed Forces during WWII, born in Maastricht, Netherlands (d. 1952)
• 1878 Reggie Duff, Australian cricket batsman (23 Tests; 104 on debut), born in Sydney, Australia (d. 1911)
• 1880 Leo Ascher, Austrian-American operetta composer (Hoheit tanzt Walzer (Her Highness Dances the Waltz); Der Soldat der Marie (Marie's Soldier)), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1942)
• 1880 Percy Sherwell, South African cricket wicketkeeper and captain (13 Tests, 1 x 100, 36 dismissals; Transvaal), born in Isipingo, South Africa (d. 1948)
• 1882 Dario Resta, Italian-British auto racer (Indianapolis 500 1916; Vanderbilt Cup 1915, 16; AAA National C'ship 1916), born in Faenza, Italy (d. 1924)

• 1885 Clara [G Meijer-] Wichmann, German anarchist and feminist (Wife & society), born in Hamburg, Germany (d. 1922)
• 1885 Kurt Hiller, German writer, born in Berlin (d. 1972)
• 1887 Charles I, last ruler of Austria-Hungary (1916-18), born in Persenbeug Castle, Austria (d. 1922)

• 1888 Monty Wooley, American actor (Pied Piper, The Man Who Came to Dinner), born in New York City (d. 1963)
• 1890 Harry Hopkins, US politician, Secretary of Commerce under FDR (Loan & Lease law), born in Sioux City, Iowa (d. 1946)
• 1890 Ralph Teetor, American automotive engineer (1st blind engineer in the US, inventor of cruise control), born in Hagerstown, Indiana (d. 1982) [1]
• 1890 Stefan Bastyr, Polish aviator (d. 1920)

• 1894 Erik A Blomberg, Swedish art historian, poet and author (Jorden), born in Stockholm, Sweden (d. 1965)
• 1896 Henry de Vries, Dutch painter and poet (Laws of the Americas), born in Groningen, Netherlands (d. 1989)

• 1898 Ger Schmook, Flemish librarian (ADB, Antwerp City Library), born in Antwerp, Belgium (d. 1985)
• 1900 Quincy Howe, American newscaster (CBS Weekend News), born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 1977)
• 1901 Henri Tomasi, French classical and film music composer (Requiem for Peace; The Silence of the Sea), born in Marseille, France (d. 1971)
• 1903 Abram Chasins, American composer, born in New York City (d. 1987)
• 1903 Norridge Mayhams, American swing, pop, and gospel singer-songwriter ("We'll Build a Bungalow"), guitarist, bandleader, and record producer, born in Georgetown, South Carolina (d. 1988)
• 1904 John Hay Whitney, American financier, diplomat and publisher of the NY Herald Tribune (1961-67), born in Ellsworth, Maine (d. 1982) [1]
• 1904 Leopold Nowak, Austrian musicologist (International Bruckner Society; Mozart's Requiem), and educator (Vienna University, 1932-73), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1991)
• 1904 Mary Cain, American newspaper editor and politician (d. 1984)
• 1906 Hazel Bishop, American chemist and cosmetics manufacturer, born in Hoboken, New Jersey (d. 1998)
• 1906 Marcello Caetano, last Portuguese prime minister of the Estado Novo regime (1968-1974), born in Graça, Lisbon, Portugal (d. 1980)
• 1907 Marian Viktorovich Koval, Russian composer, born in Pristan Voznesenya, Olonets district, Russian Empire (d. 1971)
• 1907 Roger Peyrefitte, French writer (Special Friendships), born in Castres, Tarn (d. 2000)
• 1907 Zygmunt Mycielski, Polish composer and music critic, born in Przeworsk, Habsburg Empire (now Poland) (d. 1987)
• 1908 Kurt Hessenberg, German composer, born in Frankfurt, Germany (d. 1994)
• 1909 Larry Clinton, American trumpeter, arranger, bandleader, and composer, born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1985)
• 1910 Erkki Aaltonen, Finnish composer, born in Hämeenlinna, Finland (d. 1990)
• 1910 Johan Manusama, Moluccan politician, born in Banjarmasin, Indonesia (d. 1995)
• 1911 Frederik de Merode, Belgian prince (d. 1958)
• 1912 Edgar Fernhout, Dutch painter, son of Charley Toorop, born in Bergen, Netherlands (d. 1974)
• 1913 Mark Felt, American FBI official and Watergate secret informant known as "Deep Throat", born in Twin Falls, Idaho (d. 2008)
• 1913 Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, Argentine racing driver (d. 1989)
• 1913 Rudy York, American baseball player (Detroit Tigers), born in Ragland, Alabama (d. 1970)
• 1914 Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr, American son of FDR/(Rep-D-NY, 1949-55), born in Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada (d. 1988)
• 1917 Safa Khulusi, Iraqi writer and historian, born in Baghdad (d. 1995)
• 1917 Zhou Xiaoyan, Chinese operatic soprano and pedagogue (Shanghai Conservatory, 1949-65 and 1970-78), born in Wuhan, China (d. 2016)
• 1918 Ike Quebec, American jazz tenor saxophone player, and pianist, born in Newark. New Jersey (d. 1963)
• 1918 Mort Marshall [Mortimer Haig Lichtenstein], American actor (Kiss Me Deadly, Dumplings), born in New York City (d. 1979)
• 1920 Georgia Gibbs [Frieda Lipschitz], American jazz and pop singer ("Kiss of Fire"; "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake"), born in Worcester, Massachusetts (d. 2006) [1]

• 1920 Vern Bickford, American baseball pitcher (MLB All Star 1949; no-hitter 1950; Boston / Milwaukee Braves), born in Hellier, Kentucky (d. 1960)
• 1921 Geoffery Elton, German born British historiographer, born in Tübingen, Germany (d. 1994)
• 1922 Paul Wiens, German writer, born in Königsberg, East Prussia (d. 1982)
• 1922 Roy Tattersall, English cricketer (brilliant England off-spinner early 50's), born in Bolton, England (d. 2011)
• 1923 Anton Kersjes, Dutch violinist, conductor (Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra), and philanthropist, born in Arnhem, Netherlands (d. 2004)
• 1923 Chaleo Yoovidhya, Thai co-creator of Red Bull energy drink, born in Phichit, Thailand (d. 2012)
• 1923 Larry Rivers [Grossberg], American painter (Godfather of Pop Art), born in New York City (d. 2002)
• 1924 Evan Connell, American author (The Patriot), born in Kansas City, Missouri (d. 2013)
• 1924 Helen Wallis, English cartographer and librarian (British Museum), born in Barnet, England (d. 1995)
• 1924 John A Emmens, Dutch art historian and poet (Kunst & Vliegwerk) (d. 1971)
• 1924 Laurence Deniz, Welsh jazz guitarist, and composer (Our Man In Havana), born in Cardiff, Wales (d. 1996)
• 1925 John Hawkes, American writer (2nd Skin), born in Stamford, Connecticut (d. 1998)
• 1925 John Howard Purnell, Welsh chemist (Royal Society of Chemistry), born in Rhondda, South Wales (d. 1996)
• 1926 George Melly, English jazz and blues singer, born in Liverpool, England (d. 2007)
• 1926 Hakon Barfod, Norwegian sailor (Olympic gold 1948, 52), born in Oslo, Norway (d. 2013)
• 1926 Jean Poiret [Jean-Gustave Poiré], French actor, director, and screenwriter (La Cage Aux Folles), born in Paris, France (d. 1992)

• 1927 Bernard Cornfeld, Romanian American financier (Fund of Funds), born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 1995)
• 1927 Robert Moore, American director and actor (Murder by Death, Marshall-Diana), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 1984)
• 1928 (Thomas Jefferson) "T.J." Anderson, American classical composer, and educator (Tufts, 1972-90), born in Coatesville, Pennsylvania
• 1928 Willem Duys, Dutch radio and TV host, born in Bussum, Netherlands (d. 2011)

• 1930 Henry Thillberg, Swedish soccer midfielder (22 caps; Malmö FF), born in Malmö, Sweden (d. 2022)
• 1930 James Gerald Gulliver, Scottish businessman (Argyll Foods), born in Campbeltown, Scotland (d. 1996)

• 1932 Jean-Jacques Sempé, French cartoonist (Le Petit Nicolas), born in Pessac, France (d. 2022) [1]

• 1933 Boyd Grant, American college basketball coach (PCAA Coach of the Year 1978, 81, 82; Fresno State, Colorado State), born in American Falls, Idaho (d. 2020)
• 1933 Eugene F. Kranz, American NASA Flight Director (Gemini and Apollo programs)
• 1933 Glenn Corbett [Glen Edwin Rothenburg], American actor (Route 66; Shenandoah; Chisum), born in El Monte, California (d. 1993)
• 1933 Kenny Sears, American NBA player (NY Knicks), born in Watsonville, California (d. 2017)
• 1933 Mark Dinning, American pop singer (Teen Angel), born in Manchester, Oklahoma (d. 1986)
• 1933 Tom Courtney, American athlete (Olympic gold 800m, 4x400m relay 1956), born in Newark, New Jersey (d. 2023)
• 1935 Oleg Tabakov, Soviet-Russian actor and artistic director (Moscow Art Theatre), born in Saratov, Russian SFSR (d. 2018)
• 1936 Floyd Red Crow Westerman, Native American (Dakota Sioux) country music singer-songwriter, actor (Walker, Texas Ranger; Northern Exposure), and political activist, born on Lake Traverse Indian Reservation, South Dakota (d. 2007)
• 1936 Ivan Parik, Czech classical and electro-acoustic composer (Quadrophony), born in Bratislava (d. 2005)
• 1936 Margaret Hamilton, American computer scientist, systems engineer (MIT), and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient (2016, for her work with NASA's Apollo missions), born in Paoli, Indiana
• 1938 Abu Bakar Bashir, Indonesian Muslim cleric, born in Jombang, Dutch East Indies
• 1938 Theodoros Pangalos, Greek politician (Deputy Prime Minister), born in Eleusis, Greece (d. 2023)
• 1939 Anthony Valentine, British actor (Colditz), born in Blackburn, Lancashire (d. 2015)
• 1939 Luther Allison, American rock guitarist ("Bad News Is Coming"), born in Mayflower Arkansas (d. 1997)
• 1940 David Price, American politician, (Rep-D-North Carolina 1987-95, 1997-2023), born in Erwin, Tennessee
• 1940 Thomas Williams, American ice hockey player (Olympic gold 1960), born in Duluth, Minnesota (d. 1992)
• 1941 Boog Powell, American baseball player (AL MVP 1970), born in Lakeland, Florida

• 1942 John Tyrrell, British musicologist (Leoš Janáček; The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians), born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) (d. 2018)
• 1942 Tommy West [Picardo], American record producer (Jim Croce; Anne Murray), and singer-songwriter, born in Jersey City, New Jersey (d. 2021)
• 1943 Dave "Snaker" Ray, American blues singer, and guitarist, born in St. Paul, Minnesota (d. 2002)
• 1943 Edward Cowie, English composer (Leviathan), and painter, born in Birmingham, England
• 1943 Koos Postema, Dutch editor-in-chief (Vrije Volk) and TV host

• 1943 Yukio Kasaya, Japanese ski jumper (Olympic gold 1972), born in Yoichi, Japan (d. 2024)

• 1945 Héctor Sanabria, Mexican soccer defender (7 caps; UNAM Pumas 1965-78) and manager (UNAM Pumas, CD Toluca, CD Veracruz), born in Mexico City, Mexico (d. 2024)
• 1945 Katri-Helena, Finnish singer, born in Tuupovaara, Finland
• 1945 Yves Herbet, French soccer midfielder (16 caps; Nancy 100 games) and manager (FC Martigues, Bahrain, Angers), born in Villers-Cotterêts, France (d. 2024)
• 1946 Hans Vandenburg, Dutch rock singer and guitarist (Gruppo Sportivo), born in the Hague, Netherlands
• 1946 Patrick Manning, Trinidad and Tobago politician, Prime Minister (1991-95, 2001-10), born in San Fernando (d. 2016)
• 1947 Francine Hughes Wilson, American domestic abuse victim "The Burning Bed" who changed pubic perceptions, born in Stockbridge, Michigan (d. 2017)
• 1947 Gary Talley, American rock guitarist (Box Tops - "The Letter"), born in Memphis, Tennessee
• 1948 Alexander Ivashkin, Russian cellist, conductor, and sitar player, born in Blagoveshchensk, Russia (d. 2014)
• 1948 Bo Rucker, American actor (Superman, Soup for One, Lock Up), born in Tampa, Florida
• 1948 Rod MacDonald, American singer-songwriter, born in Southington, Connecticut
• 1949 Norm Coleman, American politician (Senator(R)-Minnesota 2003-09), born in New York City
• 1949 Sib Hashian, American rock drummer (Boston - "More Than A Feeling"), born in Boston, Massachusetts
• 1951 Alan Minter, English boxer (world middleweight champion 1980), born in Crawley, England (d. 2020)
• 1951 Robert Joy, Canadian actor (Big Shots, CSI), born in Montreal, Quebec

• 1952 Kathryn C. Thornton, American astronaut (STS 33, 49, 61, 73), born in Montgomery, Alabama
• 1952 Mario Theissen, German F1 team principal (BMW Sauber)

• 1952 Thomas J. Hennen, American astronaut (STS 44), born in Albany, Georgia
• 1953 Judith Regan, American book publisher, born in Massachusetts
• 1953 Kevin Rowlands, British rock vocalist (Dexy's Midnight Runners - "Come On Eileen"), born in Wednesfield, England
• 1953 Robert Thirsk, Canadian astronaut (STS 78), born in New Westminster, British Columbia
• 1954 Eric Johnson, American guitarist, born in Austin, Texas
• 1955 Colin Moulding, English pop bassist, and songwriter (XTC - "Generals And Majors"), born in Swindon, England
• 1955 Kevin Welch, American country songwriter ("True Love Never Dies"), born in Long Beach, California
• 1955 Richard Hilton, American heir, father of Paris and Nicky Hilton, born in Los Angeles, California
• 1956 Álvaro Pino, Spanish cyclist, born in Ponteareas, Spain
• 1956 Gail Berman, American film executive, born in Brooklyn, New York
• 1957 Robin Cousins, British figure skater (Olympic gold 1980), born in Bristol, England
• 1957 Ron Strykert, Australian rock guitarist (Men At Work - "Who Can It Be Now?"), born in Korumburra, Victoria [several sources cite August 18]
• 1958 Belinda Carlisle, American new wave-pop singer (The Go-Go's - "Vacation"; solo - "Heaven On Earth"), born in Hollywood, California
• 1959 David Koresh, American cult leader (Branch Davidians sect), born in Houston, Texas (d. 1993)
• 1959 Jonathan Franzen, American author (The Corrections), born in Western Springs, Illinois
• 1960 Bruce Penhall, American actor (Savage Beach), born in Balboa, California
• 1960 Johnny Bumphus, American boxer (WBA super lightweight title 1984), born in Tacoma, Washington (d. 2020)

• 1960 Stephan Eicher, Swiss singer, born in Münchenbuchsee, Switzerland
• 1961 Jamie Macoun, Canadian NHL defenceman (Toronto Maple Leafs), born in Newmarket, Ontario
• 1962 Buddy Landel 'Nature Boy', American professional wrestler, born in Knoxville, Tennessee (d. 2015)
• 1962 Gilby Clarke, American rock guitarist (Guns N' Roses, 1991-94; Rock Star Supernova), born in Cleveland, Ohio
• 1963 Jackie Walorski, American politician (Rep-R-Indiana 2013-22), born in South Bend, Indiana (d. 2022)
• 1963 Jon Gruden, American NFL coach (Super Bowl 2002, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Oakland/LV Raiders) and broadcaster (ESPN MNF), born in Sandusky, Ohio
• 1963 S. Shankar, Indian film director (Gentleman, Indian, Jeans), born in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India
• 1964 Colin James, Canadian singer-songwriter, born in Regina, Saskatchewan
• 1965 Dottie Mochrie Pepper, American golfer (ANA Inspiration 1992, 99), born in Saratoga Springs, New York
• 1965 Fred Grim, Dutch soccer player (Cambuur L, Ajax), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands
• 1965 Glen Goldsmith, British singer-songwriter ("What You See Is What You Get"), born in High Wycombe, England
• 1965 Steve Gorman, American rock drummer (Black Crowes - "Hard To Handle"), and radio personality, born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky
• 1966 Cedric Figaro, American football linebacker (Amsterdam Admirals), born in Lafayette, Louisiana
• 1966 Don Sweeney, Canadian ice hockey defenseman (Boston Bruins) and executive (GM Boston Bruins), born in St. Stephen, New Brunswick
• 1966 Jill Cunniff, American alt-rock singer and bassist (Luscious Jackson), born in Brooklyn, NYC
• 1966 Maysa [Leak], American jazz and R&B singer, born in Baltimore, Maryland
• 1966 Rodney Mullen, American skateboarder ("Godfather of modern freestyle skating"; 35 x world titles), born in Gainesville, Florida
• 1966 Zefross Moss, American NFL tackle (Detroit Lions, NE Patriots), born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
• 1967 Kenny Davidson, American NFL defensive end (Houston Oilers), born in Shrevesport, Louisiana
• 1967 Kevin Max, American singer (dc talk), born in Grand Rapids, Michigan
• 1967 Nelson Emerson, Canadian NHL right wing (Hartford Whalers), born in Hamilton, Ontario
• 1968 Ed McCaffrey, American NFL wide receiver (Denver Broncos-Super Bowl 32), born in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
• 1968 Helen McCrory, English actress (The Queen, Peaky Blinders), born in London (d. 2021)
• 1969 Christian Laettner, American NBA forward/center (Atlanta Hawks, Olympic gold 1992), born in Angola, New York
• 1969 Donnie Wahlberg, American pop singer (New Kids On The Block - "Hangin' Tough"), actor (Band of Brothers; Boomtown), and producer, born in Boston, Massachusetts
• 1969 Ed Cunningham, American football center (Arizona Cardinals) and broadcaster (CBS Sports, ABC Sports, ESPN), born in Washington, D.C.
• 1969 Linas Rimša, Lithuanian classical and jazz composer, born in Vilnius, Lithuanian SSR
• 1969 Maria Strandlund, Swedish tennis star (1987 Futures NOR), born in Akersberga Sweden
• 1969 Uhm Jung-hwa, South Korean K-pop singer (Rose of Betrayal; Festival), and actress, born in Jecheon-si, South Korea
• 1970 Bernard Wilson, American NFL defensive tackle (Arizona Cardinals), born in Nasville, Tennessee

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• Year of the Rabbit
  2023
• Year of the Dragon
  2024
• Year of the Snake
  2025
• Year of the Horse
  2026
• Year of the Goat/Sheep
  2027
• Year of the Monkey
  2028