Celebrating Today’s Famous Birthdays: 17th November – A Tribute to Remarkable Individuals
Welcome, dear readers! It brings me great joy to present a heartfelt tribute to the remarkable individuals born on this significant date. Today, we commemorate the birth anniversary of a diverse array of extraordinary personalities who have left an indelible mark on the world.
| Year | Person |
|---|---|
| 701 | Itzam K’an Ahk II, Mayan ruler (d. 757) |
| 709 | Emperor Kōnin of Japan (d. 782) |
| 1522 | Lamoral, Count of Egmont (d. 1568) |
| 1571 | Hippolytus Guarinonius, Italian physician and polymath (d. 1654) |
| 1576 | Philipp Ludwig II, Count of Hanau-Münzenberg (d. 1612) |
| 1630 | Eleonora Gonzaga, Italian wife of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1686) |
| 1647 | Pierre Bayle, French philosopher and author (d. 1706) |
| 1727 | Philibert Commerson, French physician and explorer (d. 1773) |
| 1736 | Carl Friedrich Christian Fasch, German harpsichord player and composer (d. 1800) |
| 1756 | Thomas Burgess, English bishop and philosopher (d. 1837) |
| 1772 | Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (d. 1806) |
| 1774 | Wilhelmine of Prussia, Queen of the Netherlands (d. 1837) |
| 1785 | David Wilkie, Scottish painter and academic (d. 1841) |
| 1787 | Louis Daguerre, French physicist and photographer, developed the daguerreotype (d. 1851) |
| 1804 | Alfonso Ferrero La Marmora, Italian general and politician, 6th Prime Minister of Italy (d. 1878) |
| 1810 | Asa Gray, American botanist and academic (d. 1888) |
| 1832 | Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld, Finnish-Swedish geologist and explorer (d. 1901) |
| 1836 | W. S. Gilbert, English playwright, poet, and illustrator (d. 1911) |
| 1839 | August Kundt, German physicist and educator (d. 1894) |
| 1856 | Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia (d. 1929) |
| 1860 | Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Polish pianist, composer, and politician, 2nd Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland (d. 1941) |
| 1861 | Dorothy Dix, American journalist and author (d. 1951) |
| 1874 | Clarence Day, American author and poet (d. 1935) |
| 1876 | Victor Hémery, French race car driver (d. 1950) |
| 1880 | Naum Torbov, Bulgarian architect, designed the Central Sofia Market Hall (d. 1952) |
| 1882 | Amelita Galli-Curci, Italian-American soprano (d. 1963) |
| 1882 | Wyndham Lewis, English painter and critic (d. 1957) |
| 1882 | Jacques Maritain, French philosopher and author (d. 1973) |
| 1883 | Carl Vinson, American judge and politician (d. 1981) |
| 1886 | Ferenc Münnich, Hungarian soldier and politician, 47th Prime Minister of Hungary (d. 1967) |
| 1888 | Frances Marion, American screenwriter, novelist and journalist (d. 1973) |
| 1889 | Stanislav Kosior, Polish-Russian politician (d. 1939) |
| 1891 | Vasil Gendov, Bulgarian actor, director, and screenwriter (d. 1970) |
| 1897 | Patrick Blackett, Baron Blackett, English physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1974) |
| 1899 | Eugene Ormandy, Hungarian-American violinist and conductor (d. 1985) |
| 1899 | Howard Thurman, American author, philosopher and civil rights activist (d. 1981) |
| 1901 | George Gallup, American statistician and academic (d. 1984) |
| 1901 | V. Shantaram, Indian actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1984) |
| 1901 | Craig Wood, American golfer (d. 1968) |
| 1902 | Franklin Adreon, American film and television director (d. 1979) |
| 1904 | Alan Lennox-Boyd, 1st Viscount Boyd of Merton, English lieutenant and politician, Secretary of State for the Colonies (d. 1983) |
| 1904 | Masao Koga, Japanese composer and guitarist (d. 1978) |
| 1906 | Sait Faik Abasıyanık, Turkish author and poet (d. 1954) |
| 1906 | Alec Issigonis, Greek-English car designer, designed the mini car (d. 1988) |
| 1906 | Klaus Mann, German-American novelist, short story writer, and critic (d. 1949) |
| 1906 | George Wald, American neurobiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1997) |
| 1907 | Gustav Nezval, Czech actor (d. 1998) |
| 1907 | Compay Segundo, Cuban singer-songwriter and guitarist (Buena Vista Social Club) (d. 2003) |
| 1908 | Imogene Coca, American actress, comedian, and singer (d. 2001) |
| 1909 | Johnny Mercer, American singer-songwriter and producer, co-founded Capitol Records (d. 1976) |
| 1911 | Attilio Bertolucci, Italian poet and author (d. 2000) |
| 1912 | Vic Hey, Australian rugby league player and coach (d. 1995) |
| 1912 | Hilda Nickson, English author (d. 1977) |
| 1913 | Endre Rozsda, Hungarian-French painter and illustrator (d. 1999) |
| 1914 | Haguroyama Masaji, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 36th Yokozuna (d. 1969) |
| 1915 | Ken Burkhart, American baseball player and umpire (d. 2004) |
| 1917 | Beebe Steven Lynk, African-American chemist and author (d. 1948) |
| 1918 | İlhan Berk, Turkish poet and author (d. 2008) |
| 1918 | Tasker Watkins, Welsh soldier, judge, and politician, Victoria Cross recipient (d. 2007) |
| 1919 | Jocelyn Brando, American actress (d. 2005) |
| 1920 | Mustafa Khalil, Egyptian lawyer and politician, 77th Prime Minister of Egypt (d. 2008) |
| 1920 | Robert Fryer, American playwright and producer (d. 2000) |
| 1920 | Ron Suart, English football player and manager (d. 2015) |
| 1922 | Luis Somoza Debayle, Nicaraguan politician, 70th President of Nicaragua (d. 1967) |
| 1923 | Alan Shepard, American admiral, pilot, and astronaut (d. 1998) |
| 1923 | Ted Stevens, American soldier, lawyer, and politician (d. 2010) |
| 1924 | Alexander Mackenzie Stuart, Baron Mackenzie-Stuart, Scottish soldier, engineer, and judge (d. 2000) |
| 1924 | Anna Elisabeth (Lise) Østergaard, Danish psychologist and politician (d. 1996) |
| 1925 | Gene Mauch, American baseball player and manager (d. 2005) |
| 1927 | Hank Ballard, American R&B singer-songwriter (d. 2003) |
| 1927 | Knowlton Nash, Canadian journalist and author (d. 2014) |
| 1928 | Salvador Laurel, Filipino lawyer and politician, 5th Prime Minister of the Philippines (d. 2004) |
| 1928 | Sheila Jordan, American singer-songwriter and pianist |
| 1929 | Gianna D’Angelo, American soprano and educator (d. 2013) |
| 1932 | Danny McDevitt, American baseball player (d. 2010) |
| 1933 | Bruce Conner, American painter, photographer, and director (d. 2008) |
| 1934 | Vassilis Vassilikos, Greek journalist and diplomat |
| 1935 | Rudolf Bahro, German philosopher and politician (d. 1997) |
| 1935 | Rodney Hall, Australian author and poet |
| 1936 | Ennio Antonelli, Italian cardinal |
| 1936 | Don Cherry, American trumpet player (Old and New Dreams, New York Contemporary Five, and Codona) (d. 1995) |
| 1938 | Jules Mikhael Al-Jamil, Iraqi-Lebanese archbishop (d. 2012) |
| 1938 | Norbert Ratsirahonana, Malagasy politician, Prime Minister of Madagascar |
| 1939 | Margaret Atwood, Canadian novelist, poet, and critic |
| 1939 | Margaret Jay, Baroness Jay of Paddington, English journalist and politician, Leader of the House of Lords |
| 1939 | Amanda Lear, Hong Kong-French singer-songwriter and actress |
| 1939 | Brenda Vaccaro, American actress |
| 1940 | James Welch, American novelist and poet (d. 2003) |
| 1941 | Gary Bettenhausen, American race car driver (d. 2014) |
| 1941 | Angela Watkinson, English educator and politician |
| 1942 | Linda Evans, American actress |
| 1942 | Susan Sullivan, American actress |
| 1943 | Leonardo Sandri, Argentinian cardinal |
| 1944 | Wolfgang Joop, German fashion designer, founded JOOP! |
| 1944 | Edwin C. Krupp, American astronomer, archaeoastronomer, author, Director Griffith Observatory |
| 1945 | Wilma Mankiller, American tribal chief (d. 2010) |
| 1945 | Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lankan lawyer and politician, 6th President of Sri Lanka |
| 1946 | Alan Dean Foster, American author |
| 1946 | Chris Rainbow, Scottish singer-songwriter and producer (d. 2015) |
| 1947 | Timothy Maude, American general (d. 2001) |
| 1947 | Jameson Parker, American actor and producer |
| 1947 | Ross Wilson, Australian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer |
| 1948 | Tõnis Mägi, Estonian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor |
| 1948 | Andrea Marcovicci, American actress and singer |
| 1948 | Kongō Masahiro, Japanese sumo wrestler (d. 2014) |
| 1948 | Ana Mendieta, Cuban-American sculptor and painter (d. 1985) |
| 1948 | Jack Tatum, American football player (d. 2010) |
| 1949 | Herman Rarebell, German rock drummer and songwriter |
| 1950 | Graham Parker, English singer-songwriter and guitarist |
| 1950 | Rudy Sarzo, Cuban-American rock bass player |
| 1951 | Pete Morelli, American businessman |
| 1951 | Justin Raimondo, American journalist and author |
| 1952 | Peter Beattie, Australian lawyer and politician, 36th Premier of Queensland |
| 1952 | Delroy Lindo, English actor and director |
| 1952 | John Parr, English singer-songwriter and guitarist |
| 1953 | Alan Moore, English author and illustrator |
| 1953 | Kevin Nealon, American comedian, actor, and screenwriter |
| 1955 | Carter Burwell, American composer and conductor |
| 1956 | Noel Brotherston, Irish-English footballer and painter (d. 1995) |
| 1956 | Warren Moon, American football player and sportscaster |
| 1956 | Jim Weirich, American computer scientist, developed Rake Software (d. 2014) |
| 1957 | Tony Bunn, American bassist, composer, producer, and writer |
| 1958 | Daniel Brailovsky, Argentinian footballer and manager |
| 1959 | Jimmy Quinn, Northern Irish footballer and manager |
| 1960 | Elizabeth Perkins, American actress |
| 1960 | Yeşim Ustaoğlu, Turkish director, producer, and screenwriter |
| 1960 | Kim Wilde, English singer-songwriter |
| 1961 | Steven Moffat, Scottish screenwriter and producer |
| 1962 | Bart Bryant, American golfer |
| 1962 | Kirk Hammett, American guitarist and songwriter |
| 1963 | Len Bias, American basketball player (d. 1986) |
| 1963 | Dante Bichette, American baseball player and coach |
| 1963 | Peter Schmeichel, Danish footballer and sportscaster |
| 1963 | Joost Zwagerman, Dutch author and poet (d. 2015) |
| 1964 | Rita Cosby, American journalist and author |
| 1964 | Nadia Sawalha, English actress |
| 1967 | Tom Gordon, American baseball player |
| 1967 | Jocelyn Lemieux, Canadian ice hockey player and sportscaster |
| 1967 | Gavin Peacock, English footballer and sportscaster |
| 1968 | Barry Hunter, Irish footballer and manager |
| 1968 | George Kotsiopoulos, American stylist and journalist |
| 1968 | Romany Malco, American rapper, producer, actor, and screenwriter (College Boyz) |
| 1968 | Gary Sheffield, American baseball player and coach |
| 1968 | Owen Wilson, American actor, producer, comedian and screenwriter |
| 1969 | Sam Cassell, American basketball player and coach |
| 1969 | Ahmed Helmy, Egyptian actor |
| 1969 | Koichiro Kimura, Japanese mixed martial artist and wrestler (d. 2014) |
| 1969 | Duncan Sheik, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor |
| 1970 | Mike Epps, American comedian, actor, and producer |
| 1970 | Megyn Kelly, American lawyer and journalist |
| 1970 | Peta Wilson, Australian model and actress |
| 1971 | Therese Coffey, English chemist and politician |
| 1971 | Terrance Hayes, American poet and academic |
| 1971 | Matthew Rodwell, Australian rugby league player and sportscaster |
| 1972 | Jeroen Straathof, Dutch cyclist and speed skater |
| 1973 | Nic Pothas, South African cricketer and coach |
| 1974 | Chloë Sevigny, American actress and fashion designer |
| 1974 | Petter Solberg, Norwegian race car driver |
| 1975 | Lucy Akhurst, English actress and producer |
| 1975 | Shawn Camp, American baseball player |
| 1975 | Anthony McPartlin, English comedian, actor, and producer |
| 1975 | David Ortiz, Dominican-American baseball player |
| 1975 | Pastor Troy, American rapper, producer, and actor |
| 1975 | Jason Williams, American basketball player |
| 1976 | Shagrath, Norwegian singer-songwriter (Dimmu Borgir Chrome Division, Ov Hell, and Fimbulwinter) |
| 1976 | Dominic Armato, American voice actor |
| 1976 | Sage Francis, American rapper (Non-Prophets) |
| 1976 | Matt Welsh, Australian swimmer |
| 1976 | Mona Zaki, Egyptian actress |
| 1977 | Trent Barrett, Australian rugby league player, coach, and sportscaster |
| 1978 | Damien Johnson, Irish footballer |
| 1978 | Aldo Montano, Italian fencer |
| 1980 | Hamza al-Ghamdi, Saudi Arabian terrorist, hijacker of United Airlines Flight 175 (d. 2001) |
| 1980 | Luke Chadwick, English footballer |
| 1980 | Minori Chihara, Japanese voice actress and singer |
| 1980 | François Duval, Belgian race car driver |
| 1980 | Denny Hamlin, American race car driver |
| 1980 | Dustin Kensrue, American singer-songwriter and guitarist |
| 1981 | Dianne dela Fuente, Filipino singer and actress |
| 1981 | Nasim Pedrad, Iranian-American actress |
| 1981 | Vittoria Puccini, Italian actress |
| 1981 | Maggie Stiefvater, American author |
| 1981 | Allison Tolman, American actress |
| 1981 | Christina Vidal, American actress and singer |
| 1982 | Greg Estandia, American football player |
| 1983 | Travis Buck, American baseball player |
| 1983 | Michael Dawson, English footballer |
| 1983 | Jon Lech Johansen, Norwegian computer programmer and engineer, created DeCSS |
| 1984 | Ryohei Chiba, Japanese singer and dancer |
| 1984 | Enar Jääger, Estonian footballer |
| 1985 | Allyson Felix, American sprinter |
| 1985 | Christian Siriano, American fashion designer |
| 1987 | Yoon Park, South Korean actor |
| 1988 | Jeffrey Jordan, American basketball player |
| 1988 | Michael Roach, American soccer player |
| 1989 | Lu Jiajing, Chinese tennis player |
| 1989 | Natalie Osman, American wrestler |
| 1990 | Myk Perez, Filipino singer |
| 1991 | Ahmed Kelly, Iraqi-Australian swimmer |
| 1991 | Noppawan Lertcheewakarn, Thai tennis player |
| 1992 | Nathan Kress, American actor and director |
| 1992 | Steven Skrzybski, German footballer |
| 1993 | Zhang Zetian, Chinese businesswoman and investor |
As we come to the end of this tribute to today’s famous birthdays, let us carry forward the inspiration and lessons gleaned from these exceptional individuals. Their journeys remind us that with determination, passion, and resilience, we can leave our own unique imprint on the world. May their stories serve as a guiding light, igniting the spark within each of us to pursue greatness and make a positive impact.
Stay tuned for more insightful posts dedicated to celebrating the lives and contributions of notable personalities. Their stories continue to resonate and inspire, shaping the course of history and leaving an unforgettable legacy for generations to come. Until next time, may the spirit of these extraordinary individuals continue to guide and inspire you on your own remarkable journey.
