Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift.

Famous People Born in January 1961

  • Jan 1 Fiona Phillips, British television presenter
  • Jan 1 Mark Wingett, British actor
  • Jan 2 Craig James, American NFL running back and sports commentator (Pro Bowl 1985; New England Patriots; ABC, ESPN), born in Jacksonville, Texas

Gabrielle Carteris (63 years old)

Jan 2 American actress (Andrea in Beverly Hills 90210), born in Scottsdale, Arizona

  • Jan 2 Orrett Rhoden, Jamaican concert pianist, born in Kingston, Jamaica
  • Jan 2 Todd Haynes, American director, screenwriter and producer (Safe, Mildred, Pierce), born in Los Angeles, California
  • Jan 3 Erwin Blom, Dutch rock singer and guitarist (Eton Crop), born in Worner, Netherlands
  • Jan 3 Lynn Hill, American rock climber (IFSC Climbing World Cup gold 1990), born in Detroit, Michigan
  • Jan 4 Lee Curreri, American actor (Bruno Martelli-Fame), born in New York City
  • Jan 5 Iris DeMent, American country singer ("Our Town"), born in Paragould, Arizona
  • Jan 5 Piotr Baron, Polish jazz saxophonist and composer (Salve Regina; Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus), born in Wrocław, Poland
  • Jan 6 Howie Long, American NFL tackle/actor/broadcaster (Broken Arrow), born in Somerville, Massachusetts
  • Jan 7 Andrew Thomson, Australian politician, born in Melbourne, Australia
  • Jan 7 John Thune, American politician (Senator-R-Kentucky 2004-), born in Pierre, South Dakota
  • Jan 7 Supriya Pathak, Indian actress, born in Mumbai, India
  • Jan 8 Calvin Smith, American athlete, born in Bolton, Mississippi
  • Jan 8 Kazuki Takahashi, Japanese creator of Yu-Gi-Oh, born in Tokyo, Japan
  • Jan 8 Shoaib Mohammad, Pakistani cricket batsman (45 Tests @ 44.34; 7 x 100; 63 ODIs; son of Hanif Mohammad), born in Karachi, Pakistan
  • Jan 9 Oliver Goldstick, American screenwriter
  • Jan 10 Evan Handler, American actor (Dear Mr Wonderful), born in New York City
  • Jan 10 Janet Jones, American actress (American Anthem, Flamingo Kid), born in Bridgeton, Missouri
  • Jan 10 Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Italian concert violinist, born in Rome, Italy
  • Jan 11 Jasper Fforde, British author
  • Jan 12 Andrea Carnevale, Italian soccer player (Napoli), born in Monte San Biagio, Italy

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (63 years old)

Jan 13 American comedienne and actress (Elaine Benes-Seinfeld, SNL, Veep), born in New York City

  • Jan 13 Kelly Hrudey, Canadian NHL goalie, 1983-98 (NY Islanders; LA Kings), and broadcaster, born in Edmonton, Alberta
  • Jan 13 Kent Hull, American football center (First-team All-Pro 1990, 91; Pro Bowl 1988, 89, 90; Buffalo Bills), born in Pontotoc, Mississippi (d. 2011)
  • Jan 13 Suggs [Graham McPherson], English singer-songwriter (Madness), born in Hastings, England
  • Jan 13 Wayne Coyne, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, and theremin player (The Flaming Lips - "Do You Realize??"), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Jan 13 Wayne Marshall, British classical organist, pianist, and conductor, born in Oldham, England
  • Jan 14 Mike Tramp [Trempenau], Danish heavy metal rocker (White Lion - "Mane Attraction"), born in Copenhagen Denmark
  • Jan 14 Robert Edwin Hall, New Zealand mountaineer and businessman, born in Christchurch, New Zealand (d. 1996)
  • Jan 15 Yves P. Pelletier, Canadian comedian and film director, born in Laval, Canada
  • Jan 16 Jill Sobule, American singer-songwriter ("I Kissed a Girl"), born in Denver, Colorado
  • Jan 16 Paul Raven, English rock bassist (Killing Joke), born in Wolverhampton, England (d. 2007)
  • Jan 17 Brian Helgeland, American writer and film director, born in Providence, Rhode Island
  • Jan 17 Maia Chiburdanidze, Soviet women's world chess champ, born in Kutaisi, USSR
  • Jan 18 Jeff Yagher, American actor, born in Lawrence, Kansas

Mark Messier (63 years old)

Jan 18 Canadian NHL Center (Edmonton, NY Rangers), born in Edmonton, Alberta

  • Jan 18 Peter Beardsley, English footballer, born in Hexham, United Kingdom
  • Jan 19 Paul McCrane, American actor (Hotel New Hampshire, We're Fighting Back), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Jan 19 William Ragsdale, American actor (Fright Night, Mannequin 2, Smooth Talk), born in El Dorado, Arkansas
  • Jan 21 Kevin Cramer, American politician (Senator-R-North Dakota 2019-, Rep-R-2013-19), born in Rolette, North Dakota
  • Jan 21 Sherry Ramsay, American actress (Trish Mason-As the World Turns), born in Stauton, Virginia
  • Jan 22 Daniel Johnston, American musician and visual artist (Hi, How Are You), born in Sacramento, California (d. 2019)
  • Jan 23 Fausto Gresini, Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer (125cc World C'ship 1985, 87) and team manager (Aprilia Racing, Gresini MotoGP), born in Imola, Italy (d. 2021)
  • Jan 23 Mas Selamat bin Kastari, Singapore's most-wanted terror fugitive, born in Kendal Regency, Indonesia
  • Jan 23 Trey Junkin, American football tight end (Arizona Cardinals), born in Conway, Arkansas
  • Jan 24 Krasimir Mikhailov Stoyanov, Soviet cosmonaut, born in Varna, Bulgaria
  • Jan 24 Nastassja Kinski, German actress (Tess, Cat People), born in Berlin, Germany
  • Jan 24 Vince Russo, American writer, born in Long Island, New York
  • Jan 24 William Van Dijck, Belgian athlete, born in Leuven, Belgium
  • Jan 25 Michele Tobin, American actress (Fitzpatricks), born in Chicago, Illinois
  • Jan 25 Vivian Balakrishnan, Singaporean politician, born in Singapore
  • Jan 26 Neil Taylor, British touring and session guitarist (Tears For Fears - "Everybody Wants To Rule The World"; Robbie Williams), born in Bristol, England

Wayne Gretzky (63 years old)

Jan 26 Canadian ice hockey HOF center (Stanley Cup 1984, 85, 87, 88; Hart Memorial Trophy [MVP] 1980–87, 89; Art Ross Trophy [scoring champion] 1981–87, 90, 91, 94; Edmonton Oilers, LA Kings), born in Brantford, Ontario

  • Jan 27 Dina Bonnevie, Filipina actress (Beautiful Strangers; The Blood Sisters), born in 60) Quezon City, Philippines
  • Jan 27 Gillian Gilbert, British rock keyboard and guitar player (New Order - "Round & Round"), born in Manchester, England
  • Jan 27 Jean-Paul Banos, Lavelanet France, Canada sabre (Olympic 9/10-88, 92, 96)
  • Jan 27 Karen Velez, American Playboy playmate (December, 1984; 1985 Playmate of the Year), born in Rockville Center, New York
  • Jan 27 Margo Timmins, Canadian folk-rock singer (Cowboy Junkies - "Sweet Jane"; "Anniversary Song"), born in Montreal, Quebec
  • Jan 27 Martin Degville, British rock singer-songwriter (Sigue Sigue Sputnik - "Love Missile F-111"), born in Walsall, England
  • Jan 27 Narciso Rodriguez, American fashion designer, born in Newark, New Jersey
  • Jan 27 Tessa Niles, British session and touring singer (Eric Clapton; Duran Duran; Robbie Williams), born in Ilford, Essex, England
  • Jan 29 Eddie Jackson, American heavy metal rock bassist (Queensrÿche - "Silent Lucidity"), born in Robstown, Texas
  • Jan 30 Ranjit Madurasinghe, Sri Lankan cricketer (3 Tests for Sri Lanka 1988-92), born in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka
  • Jan 31 Fatou Bensouda, Gambian lawyer and Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, born in Banjul, Gambia
  • Jan 31 Lloyd Cole, English rocker (Lloyd Cole and the Commotions), born in Buxton, Derbyshire

About January 1961

How Old? 63 years old
Generation: Baby Boomer
Leap Year: No

Chinese Zodiac: Rat
Star Signs: Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19), Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18)