Famous Birthdays on May 11

Birthdays 1 - 200 of 250

• 1568 Christian I, German Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg who led an army of 21,000 Bohemians at the Battle of White Mountain, born in Bernburg (d. 1630)
• 1571 Niwa Nagashige, Japanese warlord, (d. 1637)
• 1654 Cornelis van Alkemade, Dutch historian, author and collector of antiquities, (d. 1737)

• 1720 Baron Münchhausen, German adventurer, soldier and storyteller (The Adventures of Baron Munchausen), born in Hanover (d. 1797)
• 1722 Petrus Camper, Dutch anatomist and anthropologist who studied comparative anatomy, paleontology and the facial angle, born in Leiden, Netherlands (d. 1789)
• 1731 Johann Gottfried Seyfert, German composer and violinist, born in Augsburg, Electorate of Bavaria, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1772)
• 1733 Victoire of France, daughter of king Louis XV (d. 1799)
• 1752 Johann Friedrich Blumenbach, German anthropologist (d. 1840)
• 1763 János Batsányi, Hungarian poet (d. 1845)
• 1772 Henri-Jean Rigel, French composer, music director, and "pianiste de la musique particulière de l’Empereur et Roi" to Napoleon, born in Paris, France (d. 1852)
• 1791 Jan Václav Voříšek, Czech pianist, organist, and composer, born in Vamberk, Kingdom of Bohemia (now Czech Republic) (d. 1825)
• 1799 John Lowell, American philanthropist, born in Massachusetts (d. 1836)
• 1801 Henri Labrouste, French architect (d. 1875)
• 1811 Chang & Eng Bunker, Chinese-Thai Siamese twins, born in Samutsongkram, Thailand (d. 1874)
• 1811 Jean-Jacques Challet-Venel, member of the Swiss Federal Council (d. 1893)
• 1817 (Francesca) "Fanny" Cerrito, Italian ballerina and choreographer (Rosida), born in Naples, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (d. 1909)

• 1821 [Carlos] Charles John Stolbrand, Swedish-American Brigadier General (Union Army), born in Skåne, Sweden (d. 1894)
• 1823 Alfred Stevens, Belgian painter, born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1906)
• 1824 Jean-Léon Gérôme, French painter and sculptor, born in Rome, Italy (d. 1904)
• 1827 Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, French sculptor and painter (d. 1875)
• 1827 Septimus Winner, American songwriter (Listen To The Mockingbird), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1902)
• 1830 John Converse Starkweather, American Brigadier General (Union Army), born in Cooperstown, New York (d. 1890)
• 1835 Kārlis Baumanis, Latvian composer (Dievs, svētī Latviju! (“God bless Latvia!”), the national anthem of Latvia), born in Viļķene Parish, Courland Governorate, Russian Empire (d. 1905)
• 1838 Walter Goodman, British painter, illustrator and author (d. 1912)
• 1840 Filippo Capocci, Italian organ virtuoso and composer, born in Rome, Papal States (d. 1911)
• 1841 Ernst von Possart, German actor and theatre director (Bayerische Hoftheater), born in Berlin, Germany (d. 1921)
• 1852 Charles W. Fairbanks, 26th Vice President of the United States (Republican: 1905-09) and Senator, born in Unionville Center, Ohio (d. 1918)
• 1854 Jack Blackham, Australian cricket wicketkeeper (35 Tests, 4 x 50s, 61 dismissals; Victoria CA), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 1932)
• 1854 Ottmar Mergenthaler, German-American inventor who invented the linotype machine that revolutionized printing, born in Hachtel, Kingdom of Württemberg (d. 1899)
• 1858 Carl Hauptmann, German writer, born in Obersalzbrunn (d. 1921)
• 1861 Frederick Russell Burnham, American scout and adventurer whose friendship with Baden-Powell inspired the founding of the international scouting movement, born in Tivoli, a Dakota Sioux Indian reservation in modern-day Minnesota, (d. 1947)

• 1869 Francisco Lacerda, Portuguese composer, conductor, and musicologist, born in Ribeira Seca, Portugal (d. 1934)
• 1871 Frank Schlesinger, American astronomer (d. 1943)

• 1878 Jan Machiel Reyskens, oldest male resident of the Netherlands, (d. 1990 aged 111)
• 1881 Al Cabrera, Spanish-born Cuban baseball player (d. 1964)
• 1881 Jan van Gilse, Dutch composer (Frau Helga von Staveren; Thijl), conductor, and anti-Nazi resistance fighter, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands (d. 1944)
• 1881 Theodore von Kármán, Hungarian-born American physicist and aeronautic engineer (co-founder NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory), born in Budapest, Austria-Hungary (d. 1963) [1]
• 1882 Joseph Marx, Austrian composer and music critic, born in Graz, Austria (d. 1964)
• 1887 Paul Wittgenstein, left handed pianist, born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1961)

• 1888 Willis Augustus Lee, American World War II admiral (Guadalcanal) and sport shooter (5 Olympic golds 1920), born in Natlee, Kentucky (d. 1945)
• 1891 Henry Morgenthau Jr., US Secretary of Treasury (1934-45) who helped design the New Deal and Lend Lease programs, born in New York City (d. 1967)
• 1892 Margaret Rutherford, English actress (Murder Most Foul, The V.I.P.s), born in London (d. 1972)
• 1894 Anton Mussert, Dutch fascist (co-founded the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands), born in Werkendam, Netherlands (d. 1946)
• 1894 Martha Graham, American choreographer (Appalachian Spring), Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania (d. 1991)
• 1895 Jan Parandowski, Polish writer and translator, born in Lwów, Austria-Hungary (now Lviv, Ukraine) (d. 1978)
• 1895 William Grant Still, American composer ("Afro-American" Symphony), born in Woodville, Mississippi (d. 1978)
• 1896 Josip Slavenski, Croatian composer and pedagogue, born in Čakovec, Croatia-Slavonia, Austria-Hungary (d. 1955)
• 1896 Philippo de Pisis, Italian painter and poet, born in Ferarra, Itay (d. 1956)
• 1897 Boerneef [pen name for Izak Wilhelmus van der Merwe], South African writer (Tweetalige Woordeboek), born in Ceres, Cape Colony (d. 1967)
• 1897 Robert E. Gross, American businessman (d. 1961)
• 1899 Paulino Masip, Spanish playwright (d. 1963)
• 1901 Mari Sandoz, American author (Cheyenne Autumn), born in Hay Springs, Nebraska (d. 1966)
• 1902 Kaarlo Sarkia, Finnish poet (Unen Kaivo), born in Kiikka, Grand Duchy of Finland (d. 1945)
• 1903 Charlie Gehringer, American Baseball HOF 2nd baseman (6 x MLB All Star; World Series 1935; AL MVP & batting champion 1937; Detroit Tigers), born in Fowlerville, Michigan (d. 1993)
• 1904 Guus Weitzel, Dutch radio personality and actor, born in Teterings, Netherlands (d. 1989)

• 1905 Marjorie Sykes, British educator, peace activist, and Indian independence campaigner, born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England (d. 1995)
• 1906 Jacqueline Cochran, US pilot and 1st woman to break the sound barrier, born in Muscogee, Florida (d. 1980)
• 1907 Kent Taylor [Louis Weiss], American actor (Boston Blackie, Rough Riders), born in Nashua, Iowa (d. 1987)
• 1907 Rip Sewell, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 1943–46; NL wins leader 1943; Pittsburgh Pirates 1938–49), born in Decatur, Alabama (d. 1989)
• 1907 Rose Ausländer, German poet (d. 1988)
• 1909 Herbert Murrill, British organist, composer (The Song of the Birds; Carillon), and educator (Royal Academy of Music, 1933-52), born in London, England (d. 1952)
• 1909 René Bousquet, French Vichy-police chief (deported Jews), born in Montauban, Tarn-et-Garonne (d. 1993)
• 1910 Jorge Croner de Vasconcelos, Portuguese composer, born in Lisbon, Portugal (d. 1974)
• 1911 Edgar Beck, English civil engineer (led firm Mowlem that reconstructed Downing St, built new London Bridge and NatWest Tower), born in London England (d. 2000)
• 1911 Mitchell Sharp, Canadian politician (d. 2004)
• 1912 Doodles Weaver [Winstead Sheffield Weaver], American comedian (Spike Jones & City Slickers, The Zodiac Killer), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1983)
• 1912 Foster Brooks, American comedian and actor (The Villain, Oddballs, Mork & Mindy), born in Louisville, Kentucky (d. 2001)

• 1913 Clare Grundman, American composer, born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 1996)
• 1913 Robert Jungk, Austrian publicist (d. 1994)
• 1913 [Salvador] Tutti Camarata, American composer and producer (Vic Damone Show), born in New Jersey (d. 2005)
• 1914 Haroun Tazieff, French volcanologist (d. 1998)
• 1916 Camilo Jose Cela, Spanish writer (Nobel Prize 1989), born in Padrón, La Coruña (d. 2002)
• 1917 Montague Woodhouse, British military officer and politician (organized the resistance forces in Crete WWII, MI6 agent), (d. 2001)
• 1918 Richard Feynman, American theoretical physicist, born in Queens, New York (d. 1988)
• 1920 Beryl Bryden, British jazz and blues singer, and washboard player, born in Norwich, Norfolk, England (d. 1998)
• 1920 Denver Pyle, American actor (The Dukes of Hazzard, The Andy Griffith Show), born in Cincinnati, Ohio (d. 1997)
• 1921 Hildegard Hamm-Brücher, German politician, born in Essen, Germany (d. 2016)
• 1921 Ian Percival, British politician (C) and Solicitor General (d. 1998)
• 1922 Ameurfina Melencio-Herrera, Filipino Supreme Court jurist, born in Cabanatuan, Philippines (d. 2020)
• 1922 Nestor Chylak, American Baseball HOF umpire (AL 1954-78; 3 x ALCS; 5 x World Series; 6 x MLB All Star games), born in Olyphant, Pennsylvania (d. 1992)
• 1923 Gordon White, British business tycoon and co-founder of corporate raider Hanson Group, born in Hull, England (d. 1995)
• 1924 Antony Hewish, English radio astronomer (led team that discovered pulsars, Nobel Prize for Physics 1974), born in Fowey, England (d. 2021) [1]
• 1924 Eugene Dynkin, Russian mathematician(The Dynkin diagram), born in Leningrad, Soviet Union (d. 2014)
• 1924 Jackie Milburn, English soccer striker (13 caps; Newcastle United 353 games), born in Ashington, England (d. 1988)
• 1924 Tim Flock, American auto racer (Winston Cup 1952, 55), born in Fort Payne, Alabama (d. 1998)
• 1925 Edward J. King, 66th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 2006)
• 1925 Rhodes Boyson, British politician and author (Black Papers), born in Haslingden, Lancashire (d. 2012)
• 1925 William Glasser, psychiatrist (reality therapy, choice theory), born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 2013)
• 1926 Ernest Harrison, British electronics and telecommunications executive (CEO of Racal Electronics, 1966-2000; Vodafone, 1981-2000}, born in Hackney, London, England (d. 2009)
• 1926 Frank Thring, Australian actor (El Cid, Ben-Hur), born in Melbourne, Victoria (d. 1994)
• 1927 Anthony Hollis, British High Court Judge, (d. 2003)
• 1927 Gene Savoy, American author, explorer, scholar and cleric (d. 2007)
• 1927 Mort Sahl, American stand-up comedian, political satirist, writer, and TV personality (The Big Party), born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 2021)
• 1927 Zilpha Keatly Snyder, American Newbury Award-winning children's literature author (Headless Cupid; The Egypt Game), born in Lemoore, California (d. 2014)
• 1928 Brother Andrew [Andrew van der Bijl], Dutch Christian missionary (Open Doors), born in Alkmaar, Netherlands (d. 2022)
• 1928 Yaacov Agam, Israeli sculptor, born in Rishon LeZion, Mandate Palestine
• 1929 Edward Anson, Australian British Royal Navy pilot (Korean War), officer (Vice Admiral), and ship captain (HMS Ark Royal), born in Adelaide, Australia (d. 2014)
• 1930 Bud Ekins, American stuntman (d. 2007)
• 1930 Edsger Dijkstra, Dutch computer scientist (d. 2002)
• 1930 Edward Kamau Brathwaite, Caribbean poet (Born to Slow Horses) and academic, born in Bridgetown, Barbados (d. 2020)
• 1930 Gordon Langford [Colman], British composer and arranger of brass, choral, and orchestral music (Facets of Glass; Rhapsody for Trombone), born in Edgware, England (d. 2017)
• 1930 M J Hamlin, Principal/Vice-Chancellor (Dundee University)
• 1930 Stanley Elkin, American novelist (George Mills; The MacGuffin; The Living End), satirist, and college professor (Washington University, 1960-95), born in Brooklyn, New York City (d. 1995)
• 1930 William Carey, American businessman and philanthropist (W.P. Carey & Co. LLC), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 2012)
• 1931 Stephen Smalley, rev/dean (Chester)
• 1932 Henriette Santer, Dutch-English clinical psychologist, born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1994)
• 1932 Valentino [Garavani], Italian fashion designer and founder of the Valentino company, born in Milan, Italy
• 1933 Carlos Lyra, Brazilian bossa nova guitarist and singer-songwriter, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (d. 2023) [1]

• 1934 Jim. Jeffords, American politician (Senator-R+I-Vermont 1989-2007, Rep-R-VT, 1975-89), born in Rutland, Vermont (d. 2014)
• 1935 Christopher "Kit" Lambert, British record producer and manager of The Who, born in Knightsbridge, London (d. 1981)
• 1935 Doug McClure, American actor (Checkmate, Virginian, Roots), born in Glendale, California (d. 1995)
• 1935 Francisco Umbral, Spanish novelist (d. 2007)
• 1936 Carla Bley [Lovella Borg], American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer (Escalator Over The Hill; Fictitious Sports), born in Oakland, California (d. 2023) [1]
• 1936 Ulrich Berkes, German writer, born in Salle
• 1937 David Allan, cricketer (West Indian wicketkeeper 1962-66)
• 1938 Bruce Langhorne, American session and touring folk guitarist and tambourine man, born in Tallahassee, Florida (d. 2017)
• 1938 Harvey Sollberger, flutist/composer (2 Oboes Troping), born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• 1939 Milt Pappas, American MLB baseball pitcher, (3-time All-Star, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, and 2 other teams), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2016)
• 1940 Juan Downey, Chilean video artist (d. 1993)
• 1940 Ron Pellegrino, American electronic music composer, born in Kenosha, Wisconsin
• 1941 Eric Burdon, British rock vocalist (Animals - "House of the Rising Sun"; "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"; War - "Spill The Wine"), born in Walker-on-Tyne, England
• 1941 Graham Miles, English snooker player (World C'ship 1974 runner-up; Pot Black 1974, 75), born in Birmingham, England (d. 2014)
• 1941 Ian Redpath, Australian cricket batsman (66 Tests, 8 x 100, HS 171; Victoria), born in Geelong, Australia
• 1942 Rachel Billington, British author (A Woman's Age, Bodily Harm), born in Oxford, England
• 1943 Arnie Satin [Silver], American pop-rock singer (The Dovells - "Bristol Stomp"; "You Can't Sit Down"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• 1943 George Edwards, American composer, and educator, born in Wellesley, Massachusetts (d. 2011)
• 1943 Juliet Harmer, English actress (Adam Adamant Lives!), born in England
• 1943 Les Chadwick, British bassist (Gerry and the Pacemakers - "Ferry Cross The Mersey"), born in Liverpool. England
• 1943 Nancy Greene Raine OC OBC OD, Canadian alpine skier (Olympic gold giant slalom 1968; World C'ship gold giant slalom, combined 1968) and senator (BC), born in Ottawa, Ontario
• 1944 Dave Nicoll, English motocross racer (Trans-AMA motocross series 1970) and official (FIM world championship Clerk of the Course 1997-2023), born in Cambridge, England (d. 2023)
• 1944 John Benaud, Australian cricket batsman (3 Tests, 1 x 100; NSW CA), born in Sydney, Australia
• 1946 (Michel) "Plume" Latraverse, Canadian rock and blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist, born in Montreal, Quebec
• 1946 Robert Jarvik, American scientist and researcher (developed the Jarvik-7 artificial heart), born in Midland, Michigan
• 1947 (Claude) "Butch" Trucks, American drummer (The Allman Brothers Band - "Whipping Post"), born in Jacksonville, Florida (d. 2017)
• 1948 Alfred Matt, Austrian slalom (Olympic bronze 1968)
• 1948 Nirj Deva, Sri Lankan-British politician
• 1948 Shigeru Izumiya, Japanese folk singer-songwriter, guitarist, and poet, born in Aomori Prefecture, Japan
• 1950 Dane Iorg, American MLB baseball player, 1977-86 (Philadelphia Philles, St. Louis Cardinals, and 2 other teams), born in Eureka, California
• 1950 Jeremy Paxman, English broadcaster (University Challenge, Newsnight), born in Leeds, England
• 1950 John Kelly, American General, President Trump's Chief of Staff (2017-), born in Boston, Massachusetts
• 1951 Mike Sleman, English rugby union winger (32 caps; British and Irish Lions 1980; Liverpool RUFC), born in Liverpool, England (d. 2020)
• 1952 Darrow Igus, American comedian (Fridays, Roll Out), born in Newark, New Jersey
• 1952 Frances Fisher, English-American actress (Titanic, Watchmen), born in Milford on Sea, England
• 1952 Mike Lupica, American sports journalist (ESPN), newspaper columnist (New York Daily News), and novelist (Dead Air), born in Oneida, New York
• 1952 Renaud [Séchan], French pop singer, composer, and actor, born in Paris, France
• 1952 Shohreh Aghdashloo, Iranian actress
• 1952 Warren Littlefield, American television executive
• 1953 Boyd Gaines, American actor (Mark-One Day at a Time, Sure Thing), born in Atlanta, Georgia
• 1953 David Gest, American television producer, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2016)
• 1954 Edgar Riley Jr, American rock keyboardist (Axe - "Rock 'N' Roll Party in the Streets"), born in Florida
• 1954 John Clayton, American sports journalist/reporter (The Pittsburgh Press, The News Tribune; ESPN), born in Braddock, Pennsylvania (d. 2022)
• 1954 John Gregory, English football manager
• 1954 Judith Weir, English composer (Master of the Queen's Music, 2014-present), born in Cambridge, England
• 1954 Lubomir Stoykov, Bulgarian journalist and broadcaster
• 1955 Country Dick Montana [Daniel McLain], American rock drummer and vocalist (The Beat Farmers - "Happy Boy"), born in Carmel, California (d. 1995)
• 1955 J. J. Jeczalik, English electronic musician, synthesizer programmer, record producer (Art of Noise), and high school teacher, born in Banbury, England
• 1955 Jos Haagmans, Dutch rock keyboard player (Frank Boeijen Group - "Kronenburg Park"), born in Heerlen, Netherlands
• 1955 Mark Herndon, American country music drummer (Alabama - "Take Me Down"), born in Springfield, Massachusetts
• 1956 Alex Lester, British broadcaster
• 1956 Theresa Burke, Canadian journalist
• 1957 Luca Urbani, MD/astronaut (STS 78-alt), born in Rome, Italy
• 1959 Ion Adrian Zare, Romanian soccer defender (7 caps; FC Bihor, BFC Siófok), born in Oradea, Romania (d. 2022)
• 1959 Martha Quinn, MTV VJ (Tracey-Bradys), born in Albany, New York
• 1960 Jorgen Schult, German FR, discus thrower (world record 1986)
• 1961 Cecile Licad, Filipina concert pianist (Leventritt Award, 1981), born in Manila, Philippines
• 1961 David Ake, American jazz pianist (Humanities; Green Thumb), musicologist (Jazz/Not Jazz), and educator, born in New Haven, Connecticut
• 1961 Diana Lee[-Hsu], American actress (Licence to Kill), and model (Playboy playmate May, 1988), born in Seattle, Washington
• 1962 Emmanuelle Haïm, French harpsichordist, and conductor (Le Concert d'Astrée, 2000-present), born in Paris, France
• 1962 Steve Bono, American football quarterback (Super Bowl XXIV SF 49ers; Pro Bowl 1995 KC Chiefs), born in Norristown, Pennsylvania
• 1963 Gunilla Carlsson, Swedish politician
• 1963 Mark Breland, American welterweight boxer (Olympic gold 1984), born in Brooklyn, New York
• 1963 Masatoshi Hamada, Japanese comedian

• 1963 Nina Stemme [Thöldte], Swedish dramatic soprano opera singer, born in Stockholm, Sweden
• 1963 Roark Critchlow, actor
• 1964 Bobby Witt, American MLB pitcher, 1986-2001 (Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, and 5 other teams), born in Arlington, Virginia
• 1964 Floyd Youmans, American MLB baseball pitcher, 1985-89 (Montreal Expos, Philadelphia Phillies), born in Tampa, Florida
• 1964 Jeff Sellers, American MLB baseball pitcher, 1985-88 (Boston Red Sox), born in Compton, California
• 1964 John Parrott, British snooker player, born in Liverpool, England
• 1964 Katie Wagner, American TV personality, model, entertainment reporter (MTV), and daughter of actor Robert Wagner, born in Los Angeles, California
• 1964 Tim Blake Nelson, American actor (O Brother, Where Art Thou?; The Ballad of Buster Scruggs; Watchmen), born in Tulsa, Oklahoma
• 1965 Greg Dulli, American rock guitarist, songwriter, and producer (The Afghan Whigs), born in Hamilton, Ohio
• 1965 Monsour del Rosario, Filipino martial artist and actor
• 1966 Chris Mohr, NFL punter (Buffalo Bills)
• 1966 Christoph Schneider, German drummer (Rammstein), born in Pankow, East Germany
• 1966 Julian Joseph, British jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, (Dance of the Three Legged Elephants), and broadcaster (BBC), born in London, England
• 1966 Trenidad Hubbard, American MLB outfielder (Colorado Rockies), born in Chicago, Illinois
• 1967 Eric Young, infielder (Colorado Rockies), born in New Brunswick, New Jersey
• 1967 Jamie Brayshaw, cricketer (son of Ian WA & SA right-handed batsman)
• 1967 Kenneth Gould, Welterweight boxer (Olympic bronze 1988), born in Chicago, Illinois
• 1968 Jeffrey Donovan, American actor
• 1968 Sławomir Dobrzański, Polish concert pianist and music professor, born in Wrocław, Poland
• 1969 Amy Legacki, Terrytown NY, 10k runner
• 1970 Dean Capobianco, Australian 200m/400m (Olympics 1992, 96)
• 1970 Glenn Hugill, British television presenter and producer

• Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next

• 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