January •
January 1 •
George D. Behrakis, Greek-American philanthropist •
Alan Berg, American Jewish talk show host (d.
1984) •
January 6 –
William Browder, American mathematician (d.
2025) •
January 7 •
Jack D. Forbes, Native American writer, scholar, and political activist (d.
2011) •
Charles Jenkins Sr., American sprinter •
Joseph Naso, American serial killer •
January 9 –
Bart Starr, American football player and coach (d.
2019) •
January 10 –
Leonard Boswell, American politician (d.
2018) •
January 16 –
Marilyn Horne, American mezzo-soprano •
January 17 –
Cedar Walton, American jazz pianist (d.
2013) •
January 19 –
Phil Rollins, American basketball player (d.
2021) •
January 20 –
Dave Hull, American radio personality (d.
2020) •
January 21 –
Ann Wedgeworth, American actress (d.
2017) •
January 22 –
Bill Bixby, actor and television director (d.
1993) •
January 23 •
Lou Antonio, actor, director •
Carmine Caridi, actor (d.
2019) •
January 24 •
Stanley Falkow, microbiologist (d.
2018) •
Leonard Goldberg, film and television producer (d.
2019) •
January 26 •
Huey "Piano" Smith, American rhythm and blues pianist (d.
2023) •
Bob Uecker, American baseball player, sportscaster, comedian and actor (d.
2025) •
January 30 –
Tammy Grimes, American actress (d.
2016) •
January 31 –
Stephen H. Sachs, American lawyer and politician (d.
2022)
February •
February 1 –
Bob Shane, American folk singer and guitarist (
The Kingston Trio) (d.
2020) •
February 5 –
Hank Aaron, African-American baseball player (d.
2021) •
February 7 •
Frank Clarke, American football player, sportscaster (d.
2018) •
Earl King, American musician (d.
2003) •
February 9 •
Bill Fulcher, American football player and coach (d.
2022) •
John Ziegler Jr., American lawyer, ice hockey executive (d.
2018) •
February 11 •
Tina Louise, American actress (''
Gilligan's Island'') •
Mel Carnahan, American politician (d.
2000) •
February 12 •
Anne Osborn Krueger, American economist •
Bill Russell, African-American basketball player and coach (d.
2022) •
February 13 –
George Segal, American actor (d.
2021) •
February 14 –
Florence Henderson, American actress, singer and television personality (d.
2016) •
February 15 –
William Newsom, American judge (d.
2018) •
February 16 •
Harold "Hal" Kalin, American singer (The Kalin Twins) (d.
2005) •
Herbert "Herbie" Kalin, American singer (The Kalin Twins) (d.
2006) •
February 18 –
Ronald F. Marryott, American admiral (d.
2005) •
February 19 –
Michael Tree, American violist (d.
2018) •
February 20 –
Bobby Unser, American race car driver (d.
2021) •
February 21 –
Rue McClanahan, American actress (d.
2010) •
February 22 •
Sparky Anderson, American baseball manager (d.
2010) •
Van Williams, American actor (d.
2016) •
February 24 –
George Ryan, politician,
Governor of Illinois (d.
2025) •
February 26 –
Joe Holup, American basketball player (d.
1998) •
February 27 •
N. Scott Momaday, American writer (d.
2024) •
Ralph Nader, American consumer activist, presidential candidate •
Van Williams, American actor (d.
2016)
March •
March 1 –
Joan Hackett, American actress (d.
1983) •
March 4 •
John Duffey, American bluegrass musician (d.
1996) •
Anne Haney, American actress (d.
2001) •
Barbara McNair, African-American singer, actress (d.
2007) •
March 5 –
Bob Skoronski, American football player (d.
2018) •
March 6 •
Milton Diamond, American sexologist and professor of anatomy and reproductive biology (d.
2024) •
Red Simpson, American country music singer-songwriter (d.
2016) •
March 7 •
Gray Morrow, American comic book artist, book illustrator (d.
2001) •
Willard Scott, American television weather reporter (
The Today Show) (d.
2021) •
March 9 •
Del Close, American actor, improviser, writer and teacher (d.
1999) •
Joyce Van Patten, American actress •
March 11 –
Sam Donaldson, American reporter •
March 13 –
Barry Hughart, American author and screenwriter (d.
2019) •
March 14 •
Eugene Cernan, American astronaut (d.
2017) •
Paul Rader, American General of The Salvation Army (d.
2025) •
March 17 –
Fred T. Mackenzie, American sedimentary, global biogeochemist (d.
2024) •
March 18 –
Charley Pride, African-American baseball player and country musician (d.
2020) •
March 20 –
Willie Brown, African-American Mayor of San Francisco •
March 21 –
Al Freeman Jr., African-American actor (d.
2012) •
March 22 –
Orrin Hatch, American politician (d.
2022) •
March 25 •
Johnny Burnette, American
rockabilly singer, songwriter and musician (d.
1964) •
Gloria Steinem, American feminist •
March 26 •
Alan Arkin, American actor, director, and screenwriter (d.
2023) •
Gino Cappelletti, American football player (d.
2022) •
March 27 –
Arthur Mitchell, African-American ballet dancer and choreographer (d.
2018) •
March 28 –
Lester R. Brown, American environmentalist •
March 31 •
Richard Chamberlain, American actor (d.
2025) •
Shirley Jones, American singer, actress, and first wife of
Jack Cassidy •
John D. Loudermilk, American singer-songwriter (d.
2016) •
Orion Samuelson, American television personality
April •
April 1 •
James Edward Brown, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d.
2015) •
Don Hastings, American actor •
Rod Kanehl, American baseball player and manager (d.
2004) •
April 2 •
Paul Avery, American journalist (d.
2000) •
Paul Cohen, American mathematician (d.
2007) •
Carl Kasell, American radio personality (d.
2018) •
April 7 •
David T. Kennedy, American attorney, politician (d.
2014) •
Jerold Ottley, American music director and conductor (d.
2021) •
April 13 –
Nancy Kissinger, American philanthropist •
April 14 –
Fredric Jameson, American literary critic and political theorist (d.
2024) •
April 15 –
Con Pederson, American visual effects artist (d.
2026) •
April 18 •
James Drury, American actor (d.
2020) •
Pedro Pangelinan Tenorio, Northern Mariana Islander politician (d.
2018) •
April 20 –
Robert G. Wilmers, American billionaire banker (d.
2017) •
April 24 –
Shirley MacLaine, American actress and activist •
April 25 •
Johnny McCarthy, American basketball player (d.
2020) •
Denny Miller, American actor (
Wagon Train) (d.
2014) •
April 29 •
Norman Edge, American jazz musician (d.
2018) •
Otis Rush, African-American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter (d.
2018)
May •
May 3 –
Frankie Valli, American musician (
The Four Seasons) •
May 5 •
Ace Cannon, American saxophonist (d.
2018) •
Johnnie Taylor, American singer-songwriter (d.
2000) •
May 6 –
Richard Shelby, American politician •
May 9 –
Nathan Dean, American soldier and politician (d.
2013) •
May 10 –
Gary Owens, American disc jockey, voice actor and announcer (''
Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In'') (d.
2015) •
May 11 –
Jim Jeffords, American politician (d.
2014) •
May 12 –
John Amirante, American singer (d.
2018) •
May 13 –
Leon Wagner, baseball player (d.
2004) •
May 18 –
Dwayne Hickman, actor (d.
2022) •
May 19 –
Jim Lehrer, television journalist (d.
2020) •
May 21 –
Jack Twyman, American basketball player (d.
2012) •
May 22 –
Peter Nero, pianist (d.
2023) •
May 23 –
Robert Moog, inventor of the synthesizer (d.
2005) •
May 24 •
Charlie Dick, record promoter (d.
2015) •
William R. Ratchford, politician (d.
2011) •
May 27 •
Harlan Ellison, writer (d.
2018) •
Bruce M. Selya, American judge (d.
2025) •
Franklin A. Thomas, businessman and philanthropist (d.
2021) •
May 28 •
Chuck Missler, author (d.
2018) •
Betty X, African-American educator, civil rights advocate (d.
1997) •
May 29 –
Grandma Lee, stand-up comedian (d.
2020)
June •
June 1 •
Pat Boone, American actor and pop musician •
Peter Masterson, American actor, director, producer and writer (d.
2018) •
Ken McElroy, American criminal (d.
1981) •
June 3 •
Jim Gentile, American baseball player and manager •
Rolland D. McCune, American minister and theologian (d.
2019) •
June 5 –
Bill Moyers, American journalist (d.
2025) •
June 6 –
Roy Innis, American activist and politician (d.
2017) •
June 7 •
Billy Al Bengston, American visual artist and sculptor (d.
2022) •
Wynn Stewart, American country music singer-songwriter and guitarist (d.
1985) •
June 9 –
Jackie Wilson, African-American singer (d.
1984) •
June 13 –
Marianne Means, American political journalist (d.
2017) •
June 16 •
Bill Cobbs, African-American actor (d.
2024) •
Mel Novak, American actor (d.
2025) •
William F. Sharpe, American economist,
Nobel Prize laureate •
June 19 –
Herbert Kleber, American psychiatrist (d.
2018) •
June 22 •
Ray Mantilla, American jazz percussionist (d.
2020) •
Russ Snyder, American Major League Baseball player •
Nancy R. Stocksdale, American politician •
June 23 •
Marino Casem, American football coach, athletic administrator (d.
2020) •
Jesse White, athlete, educator and politician •
June 25 –
Jack Hayford, evangelist, author, and minister (d.
2023) •
June 26 •
Dave Grusin, American composer, arranger, producer, and pianist •
Selwyn Raab, American journalist and writer (d.
2025) •
John V. Tunney, American politician (d.
2018) •
June 27 –
Ed Hobaugh, baseball player •
June 28 •
Wally English, American football coach (d.
2024) •
Carl Levin, politician (d.
2021) •
Michael Artin, mathematician •
Bette Greene, author (d.
2020) •
June 29 •
Bob Burrow, basketball player (d.
2019) •
Susan George, American and French political, social scientist, activist and writer •
Chuck Schaden, television presenter •
Duane Wilson, baseball player (d.
2021) •
June 30 •
Harry Blackstone Jr., magician (d.
1997) •
Aron Tager, actor, poet, artist and sculptor (d.
2019)
July •
July 1 •
Jamie Farr, American actor (
M*A*S*H) •
Sydney Pollack, American film director, and actor (d.
2008) •
July 6 –
LaFarr Stuart, American computer music pioneer, computer engineer •
July 8 •
Rodney Stark, American sociologist (d.
2022) •
Edward D. DiPrete, American politician (d.
2025) •
July 9 –
Michael Graves, American architect (d.
2015) •
July 10 •
Jerry Nelson, American puppeteer with
The Muppets (
Sesame Street,
Fraggle Rock) (d.
2012) •
Barry Sussman, American editor and author (d.
2022) •
July 11 •
Jim Ridlon, American football safety •
Woody Sauldsberry, American basketball player (d.
2007) •
Dick Treleaven, American politician •
July 12 –
Van Cliburn, American pianist (d.
2013) •
July 13 –
Phillip Crosby, American actor, singer (d.
2004) •
July 14 –
Lee Elder, American professional golfer (d.
2021) •
July 16 •
Bill Gunter, American politician (d.
2024) •
Katherine D. Ortega, 38th Treasurer of the United States •
George Perles, American football player and coach (d.
2020) •
July 18 –
Joan Evans, actress (d.
2023) •
July 19 –
Bobby Bradford, jazz trumpeter, cornetist, bandleader, and composer •
July 21 –
Edolphus Towns, politician •
July 22 –
Louise Fletcher, actress (''
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'') (d.
2022) •
July 26 –
Kathryn Hays, American actress (d.
2022) •
July 27 –
Ajahn Sumedho,
Theravada Buddhist representative in the West •
July 28 •
Jacques d'Amboise, ballet dancer (d.
2021) •
Bud Luckey, voice actor,
Pixar animator (d.
2018) •
July 30 –
Bud Selig,
Major League Baseball commissioner
August •
August 2 –
Carl Cain, Olympic basketball player (d.
2024) •
August 3 •
Haystacks Calhoun, professional wrestler (d.
1989) •
Patrick Gorman, actor •
August 4 –
Dallas Green, baseball player, manager, executive (d.
2017) •
August 5 •
Wendell Berry, novelist, essayist, and poet •
Vern Gosdin, country music singer (d.
2009) •
Cammie King, child actor (d.
2010) •
August 10 –
James Tenney, experimental composer (d.
2006) •
August 16 •
Donnie Dunagan, child actor and U.S. Marine Corps major •
Ketty Lester, singer and actress •
August 18 •
Vincent Bugliosi, prosecutor, author (d.
2015) •
Rafer Johnson, decathlete and actor (d.
2020) •
August 19 •
David Durenberger, politician (d.
2023) •
Renée Richards, transsexual physician, tennis player •
August 22 –
Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr., U.S. Army general (d.
2012) •
August 23 –
Sonny Jurgensen, American football player (d.
2026) •
August 26 –
Tom Heinsohn, basketball player, coach, and broadcaster (d.
2020) •
August 27 –
Dave Piontek, basketball player (d.
2004) •
August 29 –
David Pryor, politician (d.
2024) •
August 31 –
Eusebius J. Beltran, Roman Catholic archbishop (d.
2025)
September •
September 2 •
Chuck McCann, American actor (d.
2018) •
Grady Nutt, humorist (d.
1982) •
September 4 –
Ronald Ludington, figure skating coach and pair skater (d.
2020) •
September 7 –
Little Milton, American musician (d.
2005) •
September 10 •
Charles Kuralt, American journalist (
CBS Sunday Morning) (d.
1997) •
September 10 –
Mr. Wrestling II, American professional wrestler (d.
2020) •
September 12 –
Albie Pearson, American baseball player d.
2023) •
September 14 –
Kate Millett, American sculptor and feminist activist (d.
2017) •
September 15 -
Tomie dePaola, children's author and illustrator (d.
2020) •
September 16 –
Elgin Baylor, American basketball player, executive (d.
2021) •
September 17 –
Maureen Connolly, American tennis player (d.
1969) •
September 19 –
Lloyd Haynes, American actor and television writer (d.
1987) •
September 20 •
Tony Alamo, American religious cult leader, convicted criminal •
Don Luce, American aid worker and anti-war activist (d.
2022) •
Jeff Morris, American actor (d.
2004) •
September 21 –
Ron Sobieszczyk, American basketball player (d.
2009) •
September 22 –
Lute Olson, American basketball coach (d.
2020) •
September 26 –
Suzi Gablik, American artist and art critic (d.
2022) •
September 27 •
Beverly Armstrong, American female professional baseball player •
Wilford Brimley, American actor and singer (d.
2020)
October •
October 1 –
Chuck Hiller, American baseball player (d.
2004) •
October 2 –
Earl Wilson, African-American baseball player (d.
2005) •
October 4 •
Sam Huff, American football player (d.
2021) •
Gwen Margolis, American politician (d.
2020) •
October 6 –
Marshall Rosenberg, American psychologist, writer (d.
2015) •
October 7 •
Amiri Baraka, African-American poet, playwright and activist (d.
2014) •
Willie Naulls, American basketball player (d.
2018) •
October 8 –
Billy Brewer, American football player, head coach (d.
2018) •
October 15 –
John Coleman, American meteorologist (d.
2018) •
October 16 –
Robert M. O'Neil, American educator (d.
2018) •
October 18 –
Chuck Swindoll, American evangelist •
October 19 –
Benita Valente, American soprano (d.
2025) •
October 20 •
Michael Dunn, a.k.a. Gary Neil Miller, dwarf American actor and singer (d.
1973) •
Eddie Harris, African-American jazz musician (d.
1996) •
Charles Liebman, American-born Israeli political scientist and author on Jewish life and Israel (d.
2003 in Israel) •
October 26 –
Hot Rod Hundley, American basketball player (d.
2015)
November •
November 1 –
Howie Goss, American baseball player (d.
1996) •
November 2 –
Joseph E. Brennan, American politician,
governor of Maine (d.
2024) •
November 3 –
Bob Hopkins, American basketball player (d.
2015) •
November 4 –
William Q. MacLean Jr., American politician (d.
2026) •
November 5 –
Victor Argo, American actor (d.
2004) •
November 6 –
Barton Myers, American architect •
November 9 –
Carl Sagan, American cosmologist (d.
1996) •
November 10 –
Joanna Moore, American actress (d.
1997) •
November 12 –
Charles Manson, American cult leader and criminal (d.
2017) •
November 13 –
Garry Marshall, American film producer, director and actor (d.
2016) •
November 14 –
Ralph J. Lamberti, American politician (d.
2025) •
November 17 –
Jim Inhofe, American politician (d.
2024) •
November 18 –
Paul Wiggin, American football player and coach (d.
2025) •
November 21 –
Laurence Luckinbill, American actor •
November 23 •
Robert Towne, American screenwriter and director (d.
2024) •
Michael Wayne, American film producer and actor (d.
2003) •
November 27 •
Claude Jarman Jr., American actor (d.
2025) •
Curtis S. Person Jr., American politician (d.
2020) •
Gilbert Strang, American mathematician •
November 28 –
Margaret Farrow, American politician (d.
2022) •
November 29 –
Willie Morris, American writer (d.
1999) •
November 30 –
Steve Hamilton, American basketball and baseball player (d.
1997)
December •
December 1 –
Billy Paul, African-American singer (d.
2016) •
December 2 –
Andre Rodgers, American baseball player (d.
2004) •
December 3 –
Eddie Bernice Johnson, African-American politician (d.
2023) •
December 4 –
Victor French, American actor, director (d.
1989) •
December 5 –
Joan Didion, American novelist (d.
2021) •
December 6 –
Nick Bockwinkel, American professional wrestler (d.
2015) •
December 7 –
Joey Powers, American singer-songwriter (d.
2017) •
December 9 •
Henry McNamara, politician (d.
2018) •
Junior Wells, harmonica player (d.
1998) •
December 10 –
Howard Martin Temin, geneticist (d.
1994) •
December 13 –
Richard D. Zanuck, producer (d.
2012) •
December 16 •
Pete Schrum, American actor (d.
2003) •
Pete Wade, American guitarist (d.
2024) •
December 19 –
Al Kaline, baseball player (d.
2020) •
December 22 •
David E. Harris, airline pilot (d.
2024) •
David Pearson, American race car driver (d.
2018) •
December 23 –
Dan Swartz, basketball player (d.
1997) •
December 25 –
Bob Martinez, politician, 40th
Governor of Florida •
December 26 –
Mari Hulman George, motorsport executive (d.
2018) •
December 29 –
Ed Flanders, actor (d.
1995) •
December 30 •
John Norris Bahcall, astrophysicist (d.
2005) •
Joseph P. Hoar, U.S. Marine commander (d.
2022) •
Willie Hobbs Moore, African-American engineer (d.
1994) •
Del Shannon, American singer (d.
1990) •
Russ Tamblyn, American dancer, singer and actor == Deaths ==