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

Actors Born on December 31

  • 1818 Maria Gartmann, Dutch actress, born in The Hague, Netherlands (d. 1885)
  • 1892 Jason Robards Sr, American actor (Acapulco, Isle of the Dead), born in Hillsdale, Michigan (d. 1963)
  • 1896 Ronald Adam, British actor (Lost Horizon, The Prisoner of Zenda, Phantom Shot), born in Herefordshire, England (d. 1958)
  • 1897 Rhys Williams, Welsh actor (How Green Was My Valley, Nightmare, Okinawa, Cross My Heart), born in Clydach, Swansea, Wales (d. 1969)
  • 1899 Gaston Glass, American-French actor and producer, born in Paris, France (d. 1965)
  • 1910 Richard "Dick" Kollmar, American actor (Broadway Spotlight, Guess What), born in Rigewood, New Jersey (d. 1971)
  • 1910 Roy Rowland, American film director, born in New York City (d. 1995)
  • 1914 Pat Brady [Robert Ellsworth O'Brady], American actor (The Roy Rogers Show, Man from Music Mountain), born in Toledo, Ohio (d. 1972)
  • 1916 Suzy Delair, French actress (The Murderer Lives at Number 21; Utopia; White Paws), and singer, born in Paris, France (d. 2020)
  • 1917 Joan McCracken, American actress, dancer and comedian (Claudie Story of a Marriage), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1961)
  • 1920 Rex Allen, American actor and singer-songwriter known as the "the Arizona Cowboy" (Dr Baxter-Frontier Doctor), born in Willcox, Arizona (d. 1999)
  • 1924 Taylor Mead, American writer, actor and performer (Factory, Taylor Mead's Ass), born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan (d. 2013)
  • 1929 George Schlatter, American television producer and director (Laugh-in), born in Birmingham, Alabama
  • 1929 Mies Bouman, Dutch television presenter (Open the Village), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 2018)
  • 1930 Odetta [Holmes], American folk singer (Sanctuary), actress and civil rights activist, born in Birmingham, Alabama (d. 2008)
  • 1933 Edward Bunker, American Crime novelist (No Beast So Fierce; Animal Factory), actor (Straight Time; Reservoir Dogs), screenwriter, and felon, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2005)

Anthony Hopkins (86 years old)

1937 Welsh actor (Elephant Man, QB VII, Magic, Bounty), born in Port Talbot, Glamorgan, Wales

  • 1938 Rosalind Cash, American actress (Omega Man, Wrong is Right), born in Atlantic City, New Jersey (d. 1995)
  • 1940 Tim Considine, American actor (Spin & Marty; My Three Sons, 1960-65 - "Mike"), and photographer, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2022)
  • 1941 Sarah Miles, English actress (Ryan's Daughter; Hope and Glory; The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing), born in Ingatestone, Essex, England

Ben Kingsley (80 years old)

1943 English actor (Gandhi, Betrayal), born in Scarborough, England

  • 1943 Pete Quaife, British rock bassist (The Kinks, 1963-69 - "Sunny Afternoon"), and cartoonist, born in Tavistock, Devonshire, England (d. 2010)
  • 1945 Barbara Carrera, Nicaraguan actress (Angelica-Dallas), born in Bluefields, Nicaragua
  • 1947 Tim Matheson, American actor (Animal House, Fletch, Up the Creek), born in Glendale, California
  • 1948 Joe Dallesandro, American actor (Heat, Trash, AW Frankenstein), born in Pensacola, Florida
  • 1953 James Remar, American actor (48 Hours, Rent-a-Cop, Cotton Club), born in Boston, Massachusetts
  • 1953 Jane Badler, American actress (Fine Gold, Easy Kill, V), born in Brooklyn, New York
  • 1955 Michigan J. Frog, Warner Bros. cartoon character created by Chuck Jones (Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series), first debuts in "One Froggy Evening"
  • 1959 Bebe Neuwirth, American stage and screen actress (Chicago; Cheers & Fraser - "Lilith"; Damn Yankees), born in Princeton, New Jersey

Val Kilmer (64 years old)

1959 American actor (Top Secret; Top Gun; Willow), born in Los Angeles, California

  • 1961 Joanna Johnson, American actress (Caroline-Bold & Beautiful), born in Phoenix, Arizona
  • 1962 Don Diamont, American actor (Brad-Young & Restless), born in New York City
  • 1964 Lowri Turner, British TV presenter, born in London
  • 1964 Michael McDonald, American actor-comedian, born in St. Louis, Missouri
  • 1965 Gong Li, Chinese actress (Farewell My Concubine), born in Shenyang, China
  • 1966 Paula Barbieri, American model and actress (Dangerous), born in Panama City, Florida
  • 1968 Gerry Dee, Canadian comedian and actor, born in Scarborough, Canada
  • 1971 Brent Barry, American basketball guard (NBA C'ship 2005, 07 San Antonio Spurs), executive (SA Spurs) and broadcaster (NBA on TNT), born in Hempstead, New York
  • 1974 Ryan Sakoda, Japanese American professional wrestler, born in Tokyo, Japan
  • 1976 Craig Reucassel, Australian comedian, member of The Chaser, born in South Africa
  • 1979 Elaine Cassidy, Irish actress, born in Raheny, Republic of Ireland
  • 1980 Matt Cross, American professional wrestler, born in Brecksville, Ohio
  • 1981 Matthew Pavlich, Australian Football HOF utility (6 × All-Australian; 6 × Doig Medallist, 353 games, 700 goals Fremantle FC) and broadcaster (Fox Sports), born in Adelaide, Australia
  • 1991 Denée Benton, American actress (Hamilton, The Gilded Age), born in Orlando, Florida
  • 1998 Hunter Schafer, American model, actress and LGBTQ activist, born in Trenton, New Jersey