Famous People Born In 1952

Patrick Swayze, the American actor, dancer, singer and songwriter, was very popular during the 1980s. His movie the ‘Dirty Dancing’ catapulted him to stardom. Ghost was another of his hit films. Swayze died in September, 2009, at the age of 57 due to pancreatic cancer. His final role was that of a FBI Agent in the television series ‘The Beast’.

The current President of Russia, Vladimir Putin is a popular politician, with the highest approval rating of any leader in the world as of July 2020. As a high-level politician who has the support of his citizens, he is a powerful figure in world politics. He has been accused by human rights organizations of persecuting political critics and activists.

The recipient of multiple awards, actor Liam Neeson has been ranked among  the '100 Sexiest Stars in Film History'. One of the highest-grossing actors of all time, he first rose to prominence in the 1990s with his title role in the epic drama film Schindler's List. Since then, he has appeared in many other critically acclaimed films.

Having starred in some of the highest-grossing films, such as Jurassic Park, Jeff Goldblum is one of the most bankable actors of his generation. He has also had an impact on the American TV and theatre scene. Also a musician, Goldblum has a couple of studio albums to his credit. He is married to Emilie Livingston, 30 years his junior.

Christopher Reeve had a flying start to his acting career as he played the iconic Superman in four films. Unfortunately, he became a quadriplegic after suffering an accident at an equestrian competition. Despite the setback, he continued contributing to the film industry and also founded the Christopher Reeve Foundation as part of his charitable work.

Regarded as one of the finest actors of his generation, John Goodman has contributed to the success of many films and TV series over the years. He has also had a major impact as a humanitarian by appearing in many recovery commercials post-Hurricane Katrina. Once an alcoholic, Goodman has stayed sober since 2007, thereby inspiring many people struggling with alcoholism.

Dan Aykroyd is a Canadian comedian, actor, musician, and filmmaker. He is credited with co-founding the popular blues and soul revivalist band The Blues Brothers along with legendary comedian John Belushi. The Blues Brothers was conceived as a musical sketch for Saturday Night Live; its popularity turned it into an actual band and was later made into a film.

Country music singer, songwriter, and actor George Strait is regarded as one of the most influential recording artists of all time. Lovingly nicknamed the "King of Country", he has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and is certified as the 12th-best selling artist in American history. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006. 

David Hasselhoff played the iconic role of Mitch Buchannon in Baywatch. He has also starred in The Young and The Restless and Knight Rider, judged on America’s Got Talent, released a music album, and appeared in Broadway musicals. He has a Guinness record for being the most-watched man on TV.

Italian-American actress Isabella Rossellini has made an important contribution to the American and Italian film industry. She has also appeared on stage, including an Off-Broadway production of The Stendhal Syndrome.  Also known for her involvement in conservation efforts, Rossellini serves as the director and president of the Howard Gilman Foundation, which focuses on the preservation of arts, photography, and wildlife.

Comedian Paul Reubens, or Pee-wee, began his career with the troupe The Groundlings. His popular stage show The Pee-wee Herman Show inspired the CBS show Pee-wee’s Playhouse; the movie Pee-wee's Big Adventure; and a Netflix film. His 1991 arrest due to indecent exposure changed his image to a great extent.

Alfre Woodard is an American actress. Considered one of the most accomplished and versatile actresses of her generation, Woodard was named in The New York Times' The 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century list in 2020. Also a political activist, Woodard is credited with founding Artists for a New South Africa, which aims at advancing equality in South Africa.

Neil Peart was a Canadian songwriter, author, and musician. Best known as the drummer of the popular rock band Rush, Peart was nicknamed The Professor for his technical proficiency. In 1983, Neil Peart became the youngest person ever to be inducted into the Modern Drummer publication's Readers Poll Hall of Fame.

Carol Kane is an American comedian and actress known for her work across all three major acting mediums. Although she has appeared in several films and TV series in a career spanning more than 50 years, Kane is still remembered for one of her earliest TV roles; Simka Gravas from Taxi, which earned her two Emmy Awards.

Cyril Ramaphosa is a politician and the current president of South Africa. Also the president of South Africa's popular political party African National Congress (ANC), Ramaphosa played a key role during the nation's transition to democracy during which he served as ANC's chief negotiator. He also played a crucial role in ending apartheid and was considered Nelson Mandela's political heir.

Singer, songwriter, and painter, Paul Stanley is best known for being a co-founder of the rock band Kiss. A rhythm guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the band, he also wrote or co-wrote many of their hit songs. He has been ranked 18th on Hit Parader’s list of the Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time.

Imran Khan is the former Prime Minister of Pakistan who was in office from 2018 to 2022. He is also the founder and chairman of the political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Before making an entry into politics, Imran Khan was an extremely popular international cricketer who led Pakistan to its first ever Cricket World Cup title in 1992. As a philanthropist, he established Pakistan’s first cancer hospital in Lahore.

English author, screenwriter, and essayist, Douglas Adams, is most remembered for his comedy science fiction series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. As a screenwriter, he wrote two stories for the TV series Doctor Who. He advocated for environmentalism and spoke about environmental issues in his non-fiction radio series Last Chance to See.

Israeli televangelist Benny Hinn gained fame with his Miracle Crusades held in stadiums across major cities and broadcast worldwide on his show This Is Your Day. He incorrectly predicted twice that the world would end. He has also authored several books, such as Lord, I Need a Miracle.

Hilary Farr is a British-Canadian businesswoman, television host, designer, and former actress. Over the years, she has played an important role as a designer, renovating homes for celebrities like Jennifer Hudson and Jenna Elfman. In 2017, Hilary Farr co-founded a real estate investment seminar program called Rules of Renovation, which helps aspiring investors across North America.

William Theodore Walton III, popularly known as Bill Walton, is a former basketball player. In 1977, he helped the Portland Trail Blazers win an NBA championship and won another NBA championship in 1986 while playing for the Boston Celtics. In 1993, Walton was made an inductee to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Chazz Palminteri is an American actor, playwright, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for playing Cheech in the 1994 black comedy crime film, Bullets over Broadway, for which he received an Academy Award nomination. Also a restaurateur, Chazz Palminteri opened a restaurant named, 'Chazz Palminteri Ristorante Italiano', in the USA.

Reginald VelJohnson gained fame for portraying policemen such as Carl Winslow in Family Matters and Sgt. Al Powell in the Die Hard franchise. Fans also loved him as Dash DeWitt in the series Hart of Dixie. In 2017, he had to “tweet” to dispel rumors of his death.

The daughter of legendary American actress Judy Garland, Lorna Luft followed in her mother's footsteps to become an actress and singer. A cancer survivor who was also diagnosed with a brain tumor, Lorna Luft fought through her health issues and has since been serving as an inspiration to those struggling with similar health problems.