- Jan 1 Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, American Democratic Senator from South Carolina (1966-2005) and Governor of South Carolina (1959-63), born in Charleston, South Carolina (d. 2019)
- Jan 2 Jason Evers, American actor (Wrangler, Channing), born in New York City (d. 2005)
- Jan 2 Nico Schuyt, Dutch composer, born in Alkmaar, Netherlands (d. 1992)
- Jan 3 Bill Travers [William Inge Lindon-Travers], British actor, director, officer and animal rights activist (Born Free, Gorgo), born in Sunderland, England (d. 1994)
- Jan 3 Jacques Wildberger, Swiss composer (In My End Is My Beginning), born in Basel, Switzerland (d. 2006)
- Jan 3 Morten Nielsen, Danish poet and resistance fighter, born in Ålborg, Denmark (d. 1944)
- Jan 4 Frank Wess, American jazz flutist, saxophonist (Duke Ellington, 1953-64; New York Jazz Quartet, 1974-82), and composer, born in Kansas City, Missouri (d. 2013)
- Jan 5 Admiral Sir Anthony Synnot, Chief of the Australian Defence Force, born in Corowa, Australia (d. 2001)
- Jan 6 Finn Einar Mortensen, Norwegian composer, born in Oslo, Norway (d. 1983)
- Jan 7 Alvin Dark, American baseball player and manager, born in Comanche, Oklahoma, (d. 2014)
- Jan 7 Jean-Pierre Rampal, French classical flautist (The Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano), born in Marseilles, France (d. 2000)
- Jan 7 Robert De Cormier, American conductor and musical director (The Belafonte Folk Singers), born on Long Island, New York (d. 2017)
- Jan 9 Ahmed Sékou Touré, first President of Guinea (1958-84), born in Faranah, Guinea (d. 1984)
- Jan 9 Har Gobind Khorana, Indian-American biochemist (Nobel 1968), born in Raipur, Punjab, British India (d. 2011)
- Jan 10 Ester Mägi, Estonian composer 'First Lady of Estonian music', born in Tallinn, Estonia (d. 2021)
- Jan 11 Ernle Bradford, English historian and writer (d. 1986)
- Jan 11 Neville Duke, English WWII flying ace (shot down 27 planes ), test pilot (air speed record 1953), born in Tonbridge, Kent (d. 2007)
- Jan 12 Tadeusz Żychiewicz, Polish journalist and art historian, born in Bratkowice, Poland (d. 1994)
- Jan 13 (Clarence) "Bud" Anderson, US Army Air Force flying ace (WWII), US Air Force officer (Vietnam), and test pilot, born in Oakland, California (d. 2024) [1]
- Jan 13 John Hewer, English actor famous for portraying Captain Birdseye in British commercials, born in London (d. 2008)
- Jan 15 Sir Eric Willis, Australian politician, born in Murwillumbah, Australia (d. 1999)
- Jan 15 Thelma Carpenter, American radio and jazz band singer (Coleman Hawkins; Count Basie), and stage and screen actress (Hello, Dolly!; Barefoot In The Park (TV); The Wiz (film)), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1997)
- Jan 16 Ernesto Bonino, Italian pop singer, born in Turin, Italy (d. 2008)
Betty White (1922-2021)
Jan 17 American Emmy Award-winning comic actress with the longest TV career of a female entertainer (The Mary Tyler Moore Show - "Sue Ann Nivens"; Golden Girls - "Rose"; The Proposal), born in Oak Park Illinois [1]
- Jan 17 Luis Echeverria Alvarez, Mexican politician, President of Mexico (1970-76), born in Mexico City (d. 2022)
- Jan 17 Nicholas Katzenbach, lawyer (US Attorney General), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2012)
- Jan 18 Antonio Bibalo, Italian-Norwegian pianist, contemporary classical and opera composer (The Smile at the Foot of the Ladder ; Ghosts), born in Trieste, Italy (d. 2008)
- Jan 18 Bob Bell, American clown, born in Flint, Michigan (d. 1997)
- Jan 18 Johnny Costa [Costanza], American jazz pianist, celeste player, accordionist, and musical director (Mister Rogers' Neighborhood), born in Arnold, Pennsylvania (d. 1996)
- Jan 18 Yehezkel Braun, Israeli composer (Shir ha-shirim), born in Breslau, Germany (d. 2014)
- Jan 19 Arthur Morris, Australian cricket batsman (46 Tests, 12 x 100, HS 206, BA 46.48; NSWCA), born in Sydney, Australia (d. 2015)
- Jan 19 Guy Madison [Robert Moseley], American actor (Wild Bill Hickok), born in Pumpkin Center, California (d. 1996)
- Jan 19 Ken Hughes, English director (Casino Royale, Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang), born in Liverpool, England (d. 2001)
- Jan 20 James Hanson, English industrialist, born in Huddersfield, United Kingdom (d. 2004)
- Jan 20 Ray Anthony [Antonini], American orchestra leader (Ray Anthony Show; "Peter Gunn Theme"), born in Bentleyville, Pennsylvania
- Jan 21 (Aristotelis) "Telly" Savalas, American actor (Kojak; On Her Majesty's Secret Service), and singer ("If"), born in Garden City, New York (d. 1994)
- Jan 21 Jean Paul Vroom, Dutch artist and print maker, born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 2006)
Paul Scofield (1922-2008)
Jan 21 English actor (A Man for All Seasons, Train), born in Hurst, England
- Jan 21 Sam Mele, American MLB outfielder/manager (Minnesota Twins record 102 wins 1965), born in Astoria, New York (d. 2017)
- Jan 22 Howard Moss, American poet and editor (New Yorker), born in New York City (d. 1987)
- Jan 24 Charles Socarides, American psychiatrist, born in Brockton, Massachusetts (d. 2005)
- Jan 24 Neil Franklin, English soccer defender (26 caps; Stoke City, Hull City, Crewe Alexandra) and manager (Colchester United), born in Shelton, England (d. 1996)
- Jan 25 Jules de Palm, Antilles writer, born in Curaçao (d. 2013)
- Jan 25 Raymond Baxter, English television presenter and writer (Fast Lady), born in Ilford, United Kingdom (d. 2006)
- Jan 26 Michael Bentine, English author and comedian (Reluctant Jester, The Goons), born in Watford, England (d. 1996)
- Jan 28 Robert W. Holley, American biochemist who worked with RNA (Nobel Prize 1968), born in Los Gatos, California (d. 1991)
- Jan 29 Gerda Steinhoff, Nazi concetration camp supervisor (d. 1946)
- Jan 30 Dick Martin [Thomas Richard], American actor and comedian (Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Carbon Copy), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2008)
- Jan 30 Pal Jardanyi, Hungarian composer, born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 1966)
- Jan 31 Joanne Dru [LaCock], American actress (Red River, All the King's Men), born in Logan, West Virginia (d. 1996)
- Jan 31 William Sylvester, American actor (2001: A Space Odyssey, Gemini Man), born in Oakland, California (d. 1995)
About January 1922
How Old? 102 years old
Generation: Greatest Generation
Leap Year: No
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
80-89
Over 90