Famous Birthdays on July 31

Birthdays 1 - 200 of 258

• 1143 Emperor Nijo of Japan (d. 1165)

• 1443 Albert III, Duke and ruler of Saxony, born in Grimma, Saxony (d. 1500)

• 1578 Catharina Belgica of Nassau, Countess of Hanau-Münzenberg and daughter of William of Orange, born in Antwerp (d. 1648)
• 1595 Alessandro Algardi, Italian sculptor and architect, born in Bologna, Italy (d. 1654)
• 1597 Sebastian Stosskopf, German still life painter, born in Strasbourg (d. 1657) [date baptized]
• 1618 Médard Chouart Des Groseilliers, French trader and explorer in New France (1st to recognise significance of Hudson Bay fur trade), baptized at Charly-sur-Marne (d. 1695-98)
• 1702 Jean Denis Attiret, French Jesuit missionary and painter, born in Dole, France (d. 1768)
• 1704 Gabriel Cramer, Swiss mathematician (paradox of Cramer), born in Geneva, Switzerland (d. 1752)
• 1718 John Canton, English physicist, born in Stroud, Gloucestershire, England (d. 1772)
• 1724 Noël François de Wailly, French lexicographer, born in Amines, France (d. 1801)
• 1737 Princess Augusta Frederica of Great Britain, born in London, England (d. 1813)
• 1743 August van Hekeren van Suideras, Dutch mayor and orangist (d. 1811)
• 1748 Isaac Ouwater, Amsterdam painter and cartoonist, born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1793)
• 1763 James Kent, American legal scholar (Columbia), born in Fredericksburgh New York (d. 1847)
• 1767 Amelie Julia Candielle, French composer, born in Paris (d. 1834)

• 1808 Frederick Crouch, British-American cellist, composer ("Kathleen Mavourneen"), Confederate soldier, and music teacher, born in London, England (d. 1896)
• 1816 George Henry Thomas, American Major General (Union Army), born in Newsoms, Virginia (d. 1870)
• 1816 Lydia Moss Bradley, American bank president, philanthropist, and college founder (Bradley Polytechnic Institute), born in Vevay, Indiana (d. 1908)
• 1817 Philip Cook Jr, Brigadier General (Confederate Army), (d. 1894)
• 1818 Heinrich Kiepert, German cartographer and geographer (1st modern maps of classical world and Ottoman Empire), born in Berlin, Prussia (d. 1899)
• 1825 Thomas Hart Taylor, Brigadier General (Confederate Army), (d. 1901)
• 1825 William S. Clark, American senator and scholar (d. 1886)
• 1828 François-Auguste Gevaert, Belgian composer (Le diable au moulin), born in Huise, Belgium (d. 1908)
• 1830 František Zdeněk Skuherský, Czech composer, born in Opočno, Bohemia (now Czech Republic) (d. 1892)
• 1835 Henri Brisson, French statesman (d. 1912)
• 1835 Paul du Chaillu, French-American explorer who the 1st modern explorer to confirm existence of gorillas and pygmies [birth year disputed], born in St. Petersburg, Russia (d. 1903)
• 1837 William Quantrill, American guerrilla leader in the Confederate Army who led Quantrill's Raiders in the Lawrence Massacre, born in Canal Dover, Ohio (d. 1865)
• 1843 Peter Rosegger, Austrian poet and Nobel Prize laureate, born in Krieglach, Austria (d. 1918)
• 1844 Ignazio Guidi, Italian orientalist and archaeologist, born in Rome, Italy (d. 1935)
• 1847 Ignatio Cervantes, Cuban pianist and composer (Danzas Cubanas), born in Havana (d. 1905)
• 1848 Jean Robert Planquette, French composer (Bells of Corneville), born in Paris (d. 1903)
• 1854 Jose Canalejas, premier of Spain (1910-12), born in El Ferrol, Spain (d. 1912)
• 1858 Richard Dixon Oldham, British geologist, born in Dublin, Ireland (d. 1936)
• 1860 Mary Vaux Walcott, American artist and naturalist, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1940)
• 1862 Steve Fairbairn, British rower and coach (Jesus College Boat Club, Cambridge University), born in Geelong, Victoria, Australia (d. 1938)
• 1867 Sebastian S. Kresge, American merchant and philanthropist (Kmart), born in Bald Mountain, Pennsylvania (d. 1966)
• 1874 Clarence Kolb, American actor and performer, born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 1964)
• 1875 Harry Northrup [Henri N.], French-born American poet and actor (The Heart of Maryland, The Unchastened Woman), born in Paris, France (d. 1936)
• 1880 Munshi Premchand [Dhanpat Rai], Indian author, born in Lamhi, Benares State, British India (d. 1936)
• 1882 Grete Gulbransson, Austrian writer and poet (Geliebte Schatten), born in Thüringen, Austria (d. 1934)
• 1884 Carl Friedrich Goerdeler, German Leipzig mayor and Nazi regime opponent (20th July Plot), born in Schneidemühl, Germany (d. 1945)
• 1886 Constant Permeke, Flemish painter and statues artist (Sow), born in Antwerp, Belgium (d. 1952)
• 1886 Fred Quimby, American film producer (Tom and Jerry), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (d. 1965)
• 1886 Larry Doyle, American baseball second baseman (NL MVP 1912, NL batting champion 1915; NY Giants), born in Caseyville, Illinois (d. 1974)
• 1886 Salvatore Maranzano, Sicilian-born American organized crime figure, born in Sicily, Italy (d. 1931)
• 1887 Hans Freyer, German sociologist and philosopher, born in Leipzig, Germany (d. 1969)
• 1889 Donald Foster, American actor (Hazel, Lord Love A Duck), born in Oil City, Pennsylvania (d. 1969)
• 1892 Joseph Charbonneau, French Canadian Roman Catholic archbishop of Montreal (1940-50), born in Lefaivre, Canada (d. 1959)
• 1893 Charles Wilfred Orr, English pianist and composer (settings of A.E. Housman poems), born in Cheltenham, England (d. 1976)
• 1894 Fred Keenor, Welsh footballer, born in Cardiff, Wales (d. 1972)
• 1894 Roy Bargy, American pianist and composer (Jimmy Durante Show), born in Newaygo, Michigan (d. 1974)
• 1900 Elmo Roper, American pollster (Roper Poll), born in Hebron, Nebraska (d. 1971)
• 1900 Erich Katz, German-born American composer and musicologist, born in Posen, Prussia (d. 1973)
• 1901 Jean Dubuffet, French painter and sculptor (Landscape with 2 Personages), born in Le Havre, France (d. 1985)
• 1901 Renié [Conley], American Academy Award-winning costume designer (Cleopatra; Kitty Foyle), born in Republic, Washington (d. 1992)
• 1902 Sir G O "Gubby" Allen, English cricket all-rounder (25 Tests; refused to bowl 'Bodyline' tactics 1932), born in Sydney, Australia (d. 1989)
• 1904 Arthur Daley, American sportswriter (NY Times-Pulitzer 1956), born in New York City (d. 1974)
• 1904 Brett Halliday, American writer (Dividend on Death), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1977)
• 1905 Trenchard Cox, British museum director, born in London (d. 1995)
• 1911 George Liberace, American violinist (Liberace Show), born in Menasha, Wisconsin (d. 1983)
• 1912 Bill Brown, Australian cricket batsman (22 Tests, 4 x 100, HS 206no; NSWCA, Queensland), born in Toowoomba, Australia (d. 2008)
• 1912 Irv Kupcinet "Kup", American TV host (Tonight! America After Dark), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2003)

• 1913 Bryan Hextall, Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame right wing (NY Rangers; 3-time 1st team NHL All Star), born in Grenfell, Saskatchewan, Canada (d. 1984)
• 1914 Elmer Riddle, American baseball pitcher (NL wins leader 1943; Cincinnati Reds), born in Columbus, Georgia (d. 1984)
• 1914 Isolde Ahlgrimm, Austrian harpsichordist, fortepianist, early music and original instrument proponent, and teacher, born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1995)
• 1914 Jose Ignacio Domecq, Spanish wine maker, born in Jerez, Spain (d. 1997)
• 1914 Louis De Funes, French actor and writer (The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacobs), born in Courbevoie, France (d. 1983)
• 1914 Raymond Aubrac, French resistance leader, born in Paris, France (d. 2012)
• 1916 Billy Hitchcock, American baseball infielder, manager, official (Detroit Tigers; president Double-A Southern League 1971–80), born in Inverness, Alabama (d. 2006)
• 1916 Ignacio Trelles, Mexican soccer midfielder (Mexican Primera División: 1935, 37, 38; Club Necaxa) and coach (Mexico 1960-69), born in Guadalajara, Mexico (d. 2020)
• 1916 Louise Smith, American auto racer (tied for 2nd woman to race in top level NASCAR), born in Barnesville, Georgia (d. 2006)
• 1916 Sibte Hassan, Pakistani activist, journalist and writer, born in Ambari Azamgarh Uttar Pradesh, India (d. 1986)
• 1916 Sydney Tafler, English actor (Too Many Crooks), born in London (d. 1979)
• 1916 Verdun Scott, New Zealand cricket batsman (10 Tests, 3 x 50; Auckland) and rugby league utility back (1 Test; Auckland Pakehā), born in Devonport, Auckland (d. 1980)
• 1918 Hank Jones, American jazz pianist, arranger, and composer, born in Vicksburg, Mississippi (d. 2010)
• 1918 Paul D. Boyer, American biochemist and Nobel Prize Laureate for research on the "enzymatic mechanism underlying the biosynthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)" (1997), born in Provo, Utah (d. 2018)
• 1919 Curt Gowdy, American sportscaster, author (Ford C. Frick Award, Pete Rozelle Award, lifetime achievement Emmy 1992), born in Green River, Wyoming (d. 2006)
• 1919 Hemu Adhikari, Indian cricket batsman (21 Tests; HS 114 1st Test v WI 1948), born in Pune, Maharashtra (d. 2003)
• 1919 Norman Del Mar, British conductor and writer (Conducting Brahms), born in London (d. 1994)
• 1919 Primo Levi, Italian chemist and writer (Survival in Auschwitz), born in Turin, Italy (d. 1987)
• 1920 James Esdras Faust, American religious leader, born in Delta, Utah (d. 2007)
• 1920 Rudolf Halaczinsky, German composer, born in Emma-Grube, Upper Silesia (d. 1999)
• 1921 Peter Benenson, British founder of Amnesty International, born in London (d. 2005)
• 1921 Whitney Young Jr, American civil rights leader, head of the Urban League, born in Shelby County, Kentucky (d. 1971)

• 1922 Lucy Killea, American Californian politician who supported pro-choice, born in San Antonio, Texas (d. 2017)
• 1923 Ahmet Ertegun, Turkish-American, songwriter, businessman (co-founder of Atlantic Records), and philanthropist, born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 2006)
• 1923 Jimmy Evert, American tennis coach (father of Chris Evert), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2015)
• 1923 Stephanie Kwolek, American chemist and inventor (Kevlar), born in New Kensington, Pennsylvania (d. 2014) [1]
• 1924 Alec Head, French horse trainer and breeder (6 x champion trainer France; 4 x Arc de Triomphe; owner Haras du Quesnay), born in Maisons-Laffitte, France (d. 2022)
• 1926 Hilary Putnam, American philosopher, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2016)
• 1927 Ștefan Niculescu, Romanian composer, born in Moreni, Dâmbovita, Romania (d. 2008)
• 1927 Walter Vogt, Swiss writer (Wüthrich) and psychiatrist, born in Zurich (d. 1988)
• 1928 Bill Frenzel, American politician (Rep-R-MN, 1971-91), born in St Paul, Minnesota (d. 2014)
• 1929 Don Murray, American actor (Bus Stop; Advise & Consent; Endless Love), born in Hollywood, California (d. 2024) [1]
• 1929 José Santamaría, Uruguayan soccer defender (Uruguay 20, Spain 16 caps; Real Madrid), born in Montevideo, Uruguay
• 1929 Lynne Reid Banks, British author (The Indian in the Cupboard), born in London (d. 2024) [1]
• 1929 Oriana Fallaci, Italian journalist and writer, born in Florence, Italy (d. 2006)
• 1930 Oleg Popov, Russian clown and circus artist, born in Vyrubovo, Moscow (d. 2016)
• 1931 Bill Bidwill, American NFL team owner (St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals 1962-2019), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2019)
• 1931 Kenny Burrell, American jazz guitarist (Organ Grinder Swing), born in Detroit, Michigan
• 1931 Nick Bollettieri, American tennis coach (Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Monica Seles), born in Pelham, New York (d. 2022)

• 1932 Morey Carr [Cohen], American pop and novelty singer (The Playmates - "Beep Beep"), born in Waterbury, Connecticut (d. 1987)
• 1932 Robert W. Davis, American politician (Rep-R-MI, 1979-93), born in Marquette, Michigan (d. 2009)
• 1932 Sam Coppola, American actor (Saturday Night Fever), born in Jersey City, New Jersey (d. 2012)

• 1933 Cees Nooteboom, Dutch writer and journalist (Rituelen), born in The Hague, Netherlands
• 1935 Geoffrey Lewis, American actor (Earl-Flo, Gun Shy), born in Plainfield, New Jersey (d. 2015)
• 1935 Mort Crim, American broadcast journalist, author, and inspiration for the Ron Burgundy character in the "Anchorman" films, born in West Frankfort, Illinois
• 1935 Sergio Rossi, Italian shoe designer, born in San Mauro, Italy (d. 2020)
• 1935 Yvon Deschamps, French Canadian author and humorist, born in Montreal, Quebec
• 1936 Bonnie Brown, American country singer (The Browns), born in Sparkman, Arkansas (d. 2016)
• 1937 Isabelle Daniels, American sprinter (Olympic bronze 56), born in Jakin, Georgia (d. 2017)
• 1939 France Nuyen, Vietnamese-French actress (St Elsewhere, Diamond Head), born in Marseilles, France
• 1939 John R. West, American rock guitarist (Gary Lewis & Playboys - "This Diamond Ring"), born in Uhrichsville, Ohio
• 1939 Norm Snead, American football quarterback (Pro Bowl 1962, 63, 65, 72; NFL completion % leader 1972 NY Giants; Philadelphia Eagles), born in Halifax County, Virginia (d. 2024)
• 1939 Roger Prideaux, English cricketer (England batsman in 3 Tests 1968-69), born in Chelsea, London
• 1939 Vic Davalillo, Venezuelan baseball outfielder (MLB All Star 1965, Gold Glove 1964 Cleveland Indians; World Series 1971, 73 Pittsburgh Pirates), born in Cabimas, Venezuela (d. 2023)
• 1940 Stanley Jaffe, American producer (Fatal Attraction), born in New Rochelle, New York
• 1941 Amarsinh Chaudhary, Indian politician, born in Surat, India (d. 2004)
• 1941 Gerry Philbin, American football defensive end (All-time All-AFL Team; NY Jets), born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
• 1941 Heather McKay, Australian squash player (British Open 1962-77, inaugural women's World Open 1976), born in Queanbeyan, Australia
• 1943 Lobo [Roland Kent Lavoie], American pop singer-songwriter ("Me and You and a Dog Named Boo"; "A Big Red Kite"), born in Tallahassee, Florida
• 1943 Sab Shimono, Japanese-American actor (Jackie Chan Adventures), born in Sacramento, California
• 1943 Stephanie Forrester, fictional character (The Bold and the Beautiful)
• 1943 Susan Flannery, American actress (Leslie Stewart-Dallas), born in New York City
• 1943 William Bennett, American politician (US Secretary of Education 1985-88, drug tsar under George H. W. Bush), born in New York City
• 1944 Geraldine Chaplin, American-born actress (Doctor Zhivago, 3 Musketeers) daughter of Charlie Chaplin, born in Santa Monica, California
• 1944 Robert C. Merton, American economist and Nobel laureate in Economics, born in New York City
• 1944 Sherry Lansing, American actress (China Syndrome, Black Rain), born in Chicago, Illinois
• 1945 Bill Weld, American politician (Governor (R) Massachusetts 1991-97), born in Smithtown, New York
• 1945 Charlotte Diamond, Canadian Juno Award-winning children's singer-songwriter ("I Am A Pizza"), born in Richmond, British Columbia
• 1946 Gary Lewis [Levitch], American drummer, and singer (Gary Lewis & Playboys - "This Diamond Ring"), born in Newark, New Jersey
• 1946 Karen Zerby, American religious leader, born in Camden, New Jersey
• 1947 Ian Beck, British children's illustrator and author, who illustrated Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" album cover, born in Brighton, East Sussex
• 1947 John Vukovich, American baseball infielder, manager (Philadelphia Phillies), born in Sacramento, California (d. 2007)
• 1947 Karl Green, English rock bassist (Herman's Hermits - "Mrs. Brown You Have A Lovely Daughter"), born in Salford, England
• 1947 Richard Griffiths, British actor (Withnail & I, Harry Potter), born in Thornaby-on-Tees
• 1948 Leaveil Degree, American actor (Whispers), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
• 1950 Lane Davies, American actor (Mason-Santa Barbara, Impure Thoughts), born in Dalton, Georgia
• 1951 Barry Van Dyke, American actor (Battlestar Galactica, Diag Murder), born in Atlanta, Georgia
• 1951 Carlo Karges, German guitarist and songwriter (Nena - "99 Luftballons"0, born in Hamburg, germany (d. 2002)

• 1951 Gerald Anthony, American actor (Marco Dane-General Hospital, One Life to Live), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• 1952 Alan Autry, American football quarterback (Green Bay Packers), actor (In the Heat of the Night) and politician (23rd Mayor of Fresno), born in Shreveport, Louisiana
• 1952 Helmuts Balderis, Latvian International Hockey Hall of Fame right wing, coach (Latvia, Soviet Union, Minnesota North Stars), born in Riga, Latvia
• 1952 João Barreiros, Portuguese writer (Um Dia com Júlia na Necrosfera), born in Portugal
• 1952 Pratiwi Sudarmono, Indonesian scientist selected as a NASA astronaut for the cancelled STS-61-H, born in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia
• 1953 Hugh McDowell, British cellist (Electric Light Orchestra - "Strange Magic"; "Evil Woman"), born in Hampstead, London (d. 2018)
• 1953 James Read, American actor (North and South), born in Buffalo, New York
• 1953 Jimmy Cook, South African cricket opening batsman (3 Tests), born in Johannesburg, Transvaal
• 1953 Ted Baillieu, Australian Politician, Premier of Victoria (2010-13), born in Melbourne, Australia
• 1956 Bill Callahan, American college football and NFL coach (Nebraska; Oakland Raiders), born in Chicago, Illinois
• 1956 Deval Patrick, 71st Governor of Massachusetts (2007-15), born in Chicago, Illinois

• 1957 Daniel Ash, British punk rock singer-songwriter (Bauhaus), born in Northampton, England
• 1957 Dirk Blocker, American actor (Ryan's Four, Brooklyn Nine Nine), born in Los Angeles, California
• 1957 Irina Nazariva, Sovet sprinter (USSR 4 X 400m relay Olympic gold 1980)
• 1957 Leon Durham, American baseball 1st baseman, outfielder (Chicago Cubs; MLB All Star 1982-83, born in Cincinnati, Ohio
• 1957 Mark Thompson, English media executive (BBC, NY Times, CNN), born in London, England
• 1958 Bill Berry, American drummer (R.E.M., 1980-97 - "Losing My Religion"; "Stand"), born in Duluth, Minnesota
• 1958 Mark Cuban, American businessman and basketball team owner (NBA's Dallas Mavericks), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• 1958 Wallace Kurth, American actor (Days of Our Lives, General Hospital), born in Billings, Montana
• 1959 Mike Bielecki, American MLB pitcher (Atlanta Braves), born in Baltimore, Maryland
• 1959 Peter Senior, Australian golfer, (British Open 1993 4th, Presidents Cup 1994, 96), born in Singapore, Malaysia
• 1959 Stanley Jordan, American jazz guitarist (Magic Touch), born in Chicago, Illinois
• 1960 Dale Hunter, Canadian NHL center, coach, owner (Quebec Nordiques, Washington Capitals, London Knights [OHL]), born in Petrolia, Ontario
• 1960 lva Budarova, Czechoslovakia tennis player
• 1960 Malcolm Ross, Scottish rock guitarist (Aztec Camera, 1984 - "All I Need Is Everything"), born in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Scotland
• 1961 Chris Hinton, American NFL guard (Indianapolis Colts), born in Chicago, Illinois
• 1962 John Chiang, American politician (Democratic Party), born in New York City
• 1962 Kevin Greene, American Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker (5 x Pro Bowl; First-team All-Pro 1989, 94, 96; LA Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers), born in Schenectady, New York (d. 2020)
• 1962 Sandra Hodge, American basketball player (one of 1st four women to join Harlem Globetrotters), born in Clinton, Mississippi
• 1962 Troy Murray, Canadian NHL center, broadcaster (Chicago Black Hawks), born in Calgary, Alberta

• 1963 Brian Skrudland, Canadian NHL center (fastest goal in playoff OT-0:09 seconds Game 2 1986), born in Peace River, Alberta
• 1963 Denise Johnson, British rock and soul singer (Primal Scream - "Don’t Fight It, Feel It"), and songwriter ("Where Does It Go"), born in Manchester, England (d. 2020)

• 1964 Jim Corr, Irish singer and musician (The Corrs - "What Can I Do"), born in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland

• 1965 Julian Richards, British film director (Queen Sacrifice), born in Newport, Wales
• 1965 Scott Brooks, American basketball guard, coach (NBA Coach of the Year 2010, OKC Thunder; Washington Wizards 2016-19), born in French Camp, California
• 1966 Dean Cain, American actor (Clark/Superman in Lois & Clark), born in Mt Clemens, Michigan
• 1966 Marina Ogilvy, British daughter of Princess Alexandra, born in London, England
• 1967 Elizabeth Wurtzel, American author (Prozac Nation), born in New York City (d. 2020)
• 1967 Minako Honda, Japanese singer and musical actress, born in Itabashi, Tokyo (d. 2005)
• 1967 Mitsuo Iwata, Japanese voice actor and singer, born in Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
• 1967 Rodney Harvey, American actor and model (Salsa), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1998)
• 1967 Sean O'Neill, US Olympic table tennis player (Olympic-92), born in Toledo, Ohio
• 1967 Tony Massenburg, American NBA forward who played for 12 different teams, born in Sussex, Virginia
• 1968 Andre Ware, American College Football Hall of Fame quarterback (Heisman Trophy 1989, U of Houston; Detroit Lions; Toronto Argonauts), born in Galveston, Texas
• 1969 Kenneth D. Schisler, American politician, born in Baltimore, Maryland
• 1969 Loren Dean, American actor (Billy Bathgate, Say Anything), born in Las Vegas, Nevada
• 1969 Rudolf Martin, German actor (Anton-All My Children), born in Berlin, Germany
• 1970 Ahmad Akbarpour, Iranian writer (The Train of That Night), born in Chah Varz, Lamerd, Iran

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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