- Jan 1 Albert Mol, Dutch actor (Kant aan m'n broek!), born in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands (d. 2004)
- Jan 1 Jule Gregory Charney, American meteorologist (d. 1981)
- Jan 2 Vera Zorina [Eva Hartwig], German-Norwegian ballet dancer, born in Berlin, Germany (d. 2003)
- Jan 3 Jesse White [Weidenfeld], American character actor (Bedtime for Bonzo; Harvey; Maytag repairman, 1967-88), born in Buffalo, New York (d. 1997)
- Jan 3 Roger W. Straus, Jr., American publisher (d. 2004)
- Jan 3 Vernon A. Walters, American diplomat and US permanent rep to the UN (1989-91), born in New York City (d. 2002)
- Jan 5 Francis L. Kellogg, U.S. diplomat and prominent socialite, born in New York City (d. 2006)
Jane Wyman (1917-2007)
Jan 5 American Academy Award-winning actress (Johnny Belinda; Magnificent Obsession) and 1st wife of Ronald Reagan, born in Saint Joseph, Missouri
- Jan 5 Reginald Smith Brindle, British composer, born in Cuerden, Lancashire, England (d. 2003)
- Jan 5 Wieland Wagner, German opera director, born in Bayreuth, Germany (d. 1966)
- Jan 6 Koo Chen-fu, Taiwanese businessman and diplomat, born in Taichung, Taiwan (d. 2005)
- Jan 7 Ulysses Kay, American neoclassical composer (Of New Horizons: Overture), born in Tucson, Arizona (d. 1995)
- Jan 8 Peter Taylor, American novelist, born in Trenton, Tennessee (d. 1994)
- Jan 8 Stanley Prager, American comedian (College Bowl), born in New York City (d. 1972)
- Jan 10 Jerry Wexler, American music producer who coined the term "rhythm and blues" (Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan), born in The Bronx, New York (d. 2008)
- Jan 10 Tyrell Johnson, West Indian cricketer (WI left-arm quickie, one Test 1939), born in Tunapuna, Trinidad (d. 1985)
- Jan 12 Jimmy Skinner, Canadian hockey coach, born in Selkirk, Canada (d. 2007)
- Jan 12 Walter Hendl, American conductor and composer, born in West New York, New Jersey (d. 2007)
- Jan 13 Felix Guerro Diaz, Cuban composer, born in La Habana, Cuba (d. 2001)
- Jan 15 Wang Renzhong, Chinese politician (First Secretary Hubei Province), born in Jing County, Hebei (d. 1992)
- Jan 16 Carl Karcher, founded the Carl's Jr. hamburger chain (d. 2008)
- Jan 16 William "Buddy" Lester, American comedian and actor (Barney Miller, Phil Silvers Show), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2002)
- Jan 17 M. G. Ramachandran, Indian actor and politician, born in Kandy, Sri Lanka (d. 1987)
- Jan 17 Oskar Morawetz, Czech-Canadian composer (From the Diary of Anne Frank), born in Světlá nad Sázavou, Bohemia (now Czech Republic); (d. 2007)
- Jan 17 Ramón Cardemil, Chilean huaso, born in Colchagua, Chile (d. 2007)
- Jan 18 Oscar Lewenstein, British impresario, born in Hackney, London (d. 1997)
- Jan 18 Wang Yung-ching, Taiwanese businessman, born in Xindian District, Taipei, Taiwan (d. 2008)
- Jan 19 Rudolf Maros, Hungarian composer (Sirato/Lament; Euphonies), and pedagogue, born in Stachy, Bohemia (d. 1982)
- Jan 21 Erling Persson, Swedish entrepreneur (H&M stores), born in Borlänge, Sweden (d. 2002)
- Jan 21 Rohan Butler, English historian (d. 1996)
- Jan 22 Albert "Pud" Brown, American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist, born in Wilmington, Delaware (d. 1996)
- Jan 22 Herwig Hensen [Flor Mielants], Flemish poet and playwright, born in Antwerp, Belgium (d. 1989)
- Jan 23 Dusan Kostic, Serbian writer, born in Peja, Serbia (d. 1997)
Ernest Borgnine (1917-2012)
Jan 24 American Academy Award-winning actor (Marty; From Here To Eternity; ; McHale's Navy; The Poseidon Adventure), born in Hamden, Connecticut
- Jan 25 Floyd "Guitar" Smith, American jazz and blues guitarist and record producer, born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 1982)
- Jan 25 Ilya Prigogine, Russian scientist and Nobel laureate, born in Moscow, Russia (d. 2003)
- Jan 25 Jânio Quadros, Brazilian politician, born in Campo Grande, Brazil (d. 1992)
- Jan 26 Louis Zamperini, American World War II veteran whose story of capture by the Japanese inspired the movie "Unbroken", born in Olean, New York (d. 2014)
- Jan 29 John Raitt, American stage and screen singer and actor (Carousel; The Pajama Game), born in Santa Ana, California (d. 2005)
- Jan 30 Paul Frère, Belgian racing driver & motorsport journalist, born in Le Havre, France (d. 2008)
- Jan 31 Erich Geiringer, New Zealand general practitioner campaigner (founder of the New Zealand Medical Association), born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary (d. 1995)
- Jan 31 José Maceda, Filipino composer and ethnomusicologist, born in Manila, Philippines (d. 2004)
About January 1917
How Old? 107 years old
Generation: Greatest Generation
Leap Year: No
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
80-89
Over 90