Famous People Born In 1896

Discover the most famous people born in 1896. The list includes people like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, Georgy Zhukov, George Burns and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include political leaders, soldiers, poets and novelists born in 1896. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, Germany & India and many more countries.
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 1 
F. Scott Fitzgerald
(Best Known for His Novel 'The Great Gatsby')
F. Scott Fitzgerald
39
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 24th September
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States
Died: December 21, 1940

Novelist, essayist, screenwriter, and short-story writer F. Scott Fitzgerald is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. However, he wasn’t much popular during his lifetime. His works gained international acclaim only in the years following his untimely death at 44. Many of his works have been adapted into films.

 2 
George Burns
(Actor and ComediAn Known for His Trademark Arched Eyebrow and Cigar-Smoke Punctuation)
George Burns
24
Birthdate: 20th January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: March 9, 1996

George Burns was an American actor, comedian, singer, and writer. Characterized by his cigar-smoke punctuation and arched eyebrow, which remained relevant for more than 75 years, Burns was one of the few entertainers to have achieved an equal amount of success in film, television, vaudeville, and radio. He has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 3 
Jean Piaget
(Swiss Psychologist Known for His Work on Child Development)
Jean Piaget
12
Birthdate: 9th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Died: September 16, 1980
Swiss psychologist and academic Jean Piaget is remembered for his work on child development and genetic epistemology, consisting of his theory of cognitive development. He also established the International Center for Genetic Epistemology and was the director of the International Bureau of Education. He was an honorary Harvard doctorate.
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 4 
Georgy Zhukov
(Military Commander)
Georgy Zhukov
21
Listed In: Military Leaders
Birthdate: 1st December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Zhukov, Kaluga Oblast
Died: June 18, 1974

Soviet general and Marshal of the Soviet Union, Georgy Zhukov, is remembered for overseeing some of the Red Army's most decisive victories during the Second World War. As a young man, he served in the First World War and the Russian Civil War. The recipient of four Hero of the Soviet Union awards, he was made the defence minister.

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 5 
Jimmy Doolittle
(American Military General and Aviation Pioneer Who Made Daring Raid on Japan During World War II)
Jimmy Doolittle
5
Listed In: Military Leaders
Birthdate: 14th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Alameda, California, United States
Died: September 27, 1993

Jimmy Doolittle was an American aviation pioneer and military general. Apart from winning many flying races, Doolittle also helped develop instrument flying. He was the brains behind the Doolittle Raid, the air raid that served as retribution for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. His work during the raid earned him the prestigious Medal of Honor.

 6 
Mamie Eisenhower
(First Lady of the United States as the Wife of President Dwight D. Eisenhower)
Mamie Eisenhower
11
Listed In: First Ladies
Birthdate: 14th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Boone, Iowa, United States
Died: November 1, 1979

Mamie Eisenhower was the First Lady of the U.S. through her marriage to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Her love for elegant attires got her featured on the New York Dress Institute’s list of the best-dressed women. She gave rise to the Mamie Look and the Mami Pink shade.

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 7 
Oswald Mosley
(British Politician)
Oswald Mosley
19
Birthdate: 16th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Mayfair, London
Died: December 3, 1980
Named by BBC History as the “worst” historical British person of the 20th century, Oswald Mosley started off as an MP in the 1920s. He was part of the Conservative Party and then the Labour Party. He then formed the British Union of Fascists and the United Kingdom New Party
 8 
Ruth Gordon
(Actress)
Ruth Gordon
8
Birthdate: 30th October
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Quincy, Massachusetts, United States
Died: August 28, 1985
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 9 
Lev Vygotsky
(Soviet Psychologist Known for His Work on Psychological Development in Children)
Lev Vygotsky
7
Listed In: Psychologists
Birthdate: 17th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Orsha, Belarus
Died: June 11, 1934

Lev Vygotsky was a Soviet psychologist best remembered for his groundbreaking work on developmental psychology in children. He is also remembered for his work on the relationship between thought and language, which remains influential to this day. A man with various interests, Vygotsky's work covered topics like the philosophy of science and the psychology of art.

 10 
Howard Hawks
(Director)
Howard Hawks
7
Birthdate: 30th May
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Goshen, Indiana, United States
Died: December 26, 1977
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 11 
Antonin Artaud
(French Writer, Theatre Director and One of the Major Figures of the European Avant-Garde)
Antonin Artaud
10
Birthdate: 4th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Marseille, France
Died: March 4, 1948

Antonin Artaud was a French writer, poet, dramatist, and theater director. Known for his raw, surreal, and transgressive themes, he was a major figure in 20th-century theater. He outlined his theories in the Theatre of Cruelty movement, expressed in the form of essays and plays. He died of cancer at the age of 51.  

 12 
Morarji Desai
(Politician, Prime Minister of India)
Morarji Desai
15
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 29th February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Bhadeli, Bombay Presidency, British India
Died: April 10, 1995
Bharat Ratna-recipient Morarji Desai was a freedom fighter and served as the prime minister of India from 1977 to 1979. He had also been the minister of home affairs and the minister of finance. He was initially part of the Indian National Congress and later joined the Janata Party
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 13 
Adele Astaire
(American Dancer, Actress and Singer)
Adele Astaire
5
Listed In: Actresses
Birthdate: 10th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Died: January 25, 1981
 14 
Andre Breton
(French Writer, Poet and Co-Founder of ‘Surrealism’)
Andre Breton
2
Listed In: Poets
Birthdate: 19th February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Tinchebray, France
Died: September 28, 1966

Born into a family of shopkeepers, French poet André Breton initially studied medicine and psychiatry. He then joined Dadaism and eventually branched out and became one of the pioneers of the surrealist movement. Known for his Surrealist Manifestos, Breton was also a collector of manuscripts, sculptures, and paintings.

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 15 
Raymond Massey
(Canadian Actor, Known for His Commanding, Stage-Trained Voice)
Raymond Massey
2
Birthdate: 30th August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died: July 29, 1983

Raymond Massey was a Canadian actor best remembered for his stage-trained voice. Massey earned an Academy Award nomination under the Best Actor category for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln in the 1940 biographical historical drama film Abe Lincoln in Illinois. Massey has two stars on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to the film and TV industries.  

 16 
Ira Gershwin
(Lyricist)
Ira Gershwin
3
Birthdate: 6th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New York City New York City, New York, U.S.
Died: August 17, 1983
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 17 
Ethel Waters
(Actor, Singer, Jazz musician, Stage actor)
Ethel Waters
6
Listed In:
Birthdate: 31st October
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Chester County
Died: September 1, 1977
 18 
Rogers Hornsby
(Baseball player)
Rogers Hornsby
0
Listed In: Baseball Players
Birthdate: 27th April
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Winters
Died: January 5, 1963
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 19 
Leslie Groves
(United States Army Officer in Charge of the Construction of 'The Pentagon' and Director of 'The Manhattan Project')
Leslie Groves
3
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: 17th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Albany, New York, United States
Died: July 13, 1970

US Army officer Leslie Groves is best remembered for his association with the Manhattan Project, which was aimed at developing atom bombs during World War II. He was also in-charge of building a place to house the War Department’s staff in a structure that later became the Pentagon.

 20 
A. J. Cronin
(Scottish Novelist Best Known for His Novel 'The Citadel')
A. J. Cronin
2
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: 19th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Cardross, Scotland
Died: January 6, 1981
A. J. Cronin was a Scottish novelist and physician best remembered for his 1937 novel The Citadel. The novel, which received the National Book Award in 1937, helped inspire the creation of the National Health Service. Many of his books, including The Citadel, have been adapted to films. His novella Country Doctor inspired a TV series titled Dr. Finlay's Casebook.
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 21 
Carlos P. Garcia
(Former President of the Philippines)
Carlos P. Garcia
4
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 4th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Talibon, Philippines
Died: June 14, 1971

Carlos P. Garcia was a Filipino teacher, lawyer, orator, poet, political economist, public official, and Commonwealth military leader. He is best remembered for his service as the President of the Philippines from 18 March 1957 to 30 December 1961. An important political leader, Carlos P. Garcia also served as the Secretary of Foreign Affairs from 1953 to 1957.

 22 
Ted Healy
(American Vaudeville Performer, Actor and Comedian)
Ted Healy
2
Birthdate: 1st October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kaufman, Texas, United States
Died: December 21, 1937
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 23 
Salim Ali
(Ornithologist)
Salim Ali
6
Listed In: Ornithologists
Birthdate: 12th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Died: June 20, 1987

Known as the Birdman of India, legendary ornithologist Salim Ali was the first to conduct bird surveys in India. The Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan winner is best remembered for penning the book The Book of Indian Birds, and for setting up the Bharatpur and Ranganathittu bird sanctuaries.

 24 
Jolie Gabor
(Jeweler and Socialite & Mother of Actresses 'Magda', 'Zsa Zsa' and 'Eva Gabor')
Jolie Gabor
3
Listed In: Fashion
Birthdate: 30th September
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Budapest, Hungary
Died: April 1, 1997

Jolie Gabor, also known as Mama Jolie, was a renowned socialite and the mother of the actor sisters Zsa Zsa, Magda, and Eva Gabor. Born into a family of famous Hungarian jewelers, she herself owned multiple jewelry shops in Hungary and later established her business in the US.

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 25 
Buenaventura Durruti
(Anarcho-syndicalist, Anarchist, Trade unionist)
Buenaventura Durruti
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 14th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: León
Died: November 20, 1936
 26 
Tristan Tzara
(French Writer Known for Being One of the Founders and Central Figures of the Anti-Establishment 'Dada Movement')
Tristan Tzara
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 28th April
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Moinești, Romania
Died: December 25, 1963

Tristan Tzara was a Romanian-born French avant-garde performance artist, poet, and essayist. A multi-talented personality, Tzara was also active as a playwright, journalist, art and literary critic, film director, and composer. Tristan Tzara is best remembered for co-founding the anti-establishment Dada movement, which he helped popularize. He is also credited with co-founding the Romanian literary and art magazine Simbolul.   

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 27 
Harry R. Truman
(Businessman)
Harry R. Truman
7
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: 30th October
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Ivydale, West Virginia, United States
Died: May 18, 1980

Initially a bootlegger, Harry R. Truman later leased a 50-acre plot in the woods near the active volcano Mount St. Helens and opened the Mount St. Helens Lodge. He became famous after refusing to evacuate the place after warnings that the volcano would erupt, and was later presumed dead.

 28 
Joseph Schildkraut
(Austrian-American Actor)
Joseph Schildkraut
2
Listed In: Actors
Birthdate: 22nd March
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: January 21, 1964

Joseph Schildkraut was an Austrian-American actor best known for winning an Academy Award for his performance in the film The Life of Emile Zola. The son of an actor, he began stage training with Max Reinhardt. He began his career as a character actor on the stage, eventually transitioning to films. He was also active on television. 

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 29 
Gerty Cori
(Biochemist)
Gerty Cori
1
Listed In: Biochemists
Birthdate: 15th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Prague, Czechia
Died: October 26, 1957

Austro-Hungarian-American biochemist Gerty Cori is best-known for discovering the course of catalytic conversion of glycogen with her husband Carl Ferdinand Cori for which they jointly won the 1947 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. With this Gerty became the third woman to win a Nobel in science and the first to win it in this category.

 30 
Helen of Greece and Denmark
(Queen Mother of Romania During the Reign of Her Son King Michael I (1940–1947).)
Helen of Greece and Denmark
3
Birthdate: 2nd May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Athens, Greece
Died: November 28, 1982

Considered a Romanian hero, Helen of Greece and Denmark is remembered for her selfless act of saving Romanian Jews during World War II. The daughter of Greek king Constantine I, Helen served as the queen mother of Romania during the rule of her son, King Michael I.

 31 
Arthur Shields
(Actor)
Arthur Shields
1
Listed In: Actors
Birthdate: 15th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Died: April 27, 1970
 32 
Everett Dirksen
(Former U.S. Senator)
Everett Dirksen
2
Birthdate: 4th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Pekin, Illinois, United States
Died: September 7, 1969
 33 
Konstantin Rokossovsky
(Soviet and Polish Military Officer)
Konstantin Rokossovsky
9
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 1st December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Warsaw, Poland
Died: August 3, 1968

Konstantin Rokossovsky was a Soviet and Polish officer. One of the most important Red Army commanders during the Second World War, Rokossovsky also served as Poland's Defence Minister from 1949 to 1956. He also served as the Marshal of Poland and as the Marshal of the Soviet Union.

 34 
Paulino Alcántara
(Filipino-born Spanish Footballer Who Played as a Forward)
Paulino Alcántara
4
Listed In: Football Players
Birthdate: 7th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Iloilo, Philippines
Died: February 13, 1964

Paulino Alcántara was a Filipino-born Spanish football player who played as a forward for the Catalonia national football team from 1915 and 1926 and for the Spain national team from 1921 to 1923. He also played for the Philippines national team in 1917. In 1917, Paulino Alcántara won a silver medal for the Philippines at the Far Eastern Championship Games.

 35 
Lilia Skala
(Architect)
Lilia Skala
1
Listed In: Actresses
Birthdate: 28th November
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: December 18, 1994

One of the first female architects from Austria, Lilia Skala later also became a reputed actor, winning an Academy Award nomination for her film Lilies of the Field. She had also worked in Broadway plays such as Letters to Lucerne and in soaps such as Claudia: The Story of a Marriage.

 36 
Nobusuke Kishi
(Former Prime Minister of Japan (1957 – 1960))
Nobusuke Kishi
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 13th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Tabuse, Yamaguchi, Japan
Died: August 7, 1987

Beginning his career as a civil servant, Nobusuke Kishi entered politics as a vice minister of the Manchukuo government and later served in the Cabinet of Tōjō Hideki. Imprisoned for three years by the Allied Occupation authorities after the war, he eventually became the Prime Minister of Japan. As Prime Minister of Japan, he signed a new U.S.-Japan security treaty.

 37 
Wallace Carothers
(Chemist and Inventor of Nylon)
Wallace Carothers
0
Birthdate: 27th April
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Burlington, Iowa, United States
Died: April 29, 1937

Wallace Carothers was an American inventor and chemist. He worked for DuPont where he was the leader of organic chemistry. Carothers, who played a major role at the DuPont Experimental Station, is credited with inventing nylon. Despite his success, Carothers was unhappy with his life and committed suicide at the age of 41; he was troubled by bouts of depression.

 38 
Leon Theremin
(Inventor of the First Electronic Musical Instrument 'Theremin')
Leon Theremin
0
Birthdate: 27th August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: November 3, 1993

One of the pioneers of electronic music, Léon Theremin invented the aetherphone, also known as the theremin, which was the first electronic musical instrument to be mass-produced. He also doubled up as a Soviet spy, eavesdropping on the British, French, and US embassies, using the Buran device and The Thing.

 39 
William A. Wellman
1
Listed In: Directors
Birthdate: 29th February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Brookline, Massachusetts, United States
Died: December 9, 1975
 40 
Liam O'Flaherty
(Writer)
Liam O'Flaherty
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 28th August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Inishmore, Ireland
Died: September 7, 1984
 41 
Albert Ball
(Aviator, Military personnel)
Albert Ball
4
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 14th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Nottingham
Died: May 7, 1917
 42 
Kenji Miyazawa
(Poet, Novelist, Writer, Teacher, Esperantist, Agronomist, Children's writer)
Kenji Miyazawa
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 27th August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Hanamaki
Died: September 21, 1933
Japanese novelist Kenji Miyazawa was also a poet of children's literature and is one of Japan's most-read and best-loved authors. Some of his major works include Night on the Galactic Railroad, Kaze no Matasaburō, Gauche the Cellist, and The Night of Taneyamagahara.  Many of his children's stories have inspired anime, most notably Night on the Galactic Railroad.
 43 
Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
(Italian Writer and the Last Prince of Lampedusa)
Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 23rd December
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Palermo, Italy
Died: July 23, 1957

Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa was an Italian writer best remembered as the last Prince of Lampedusa. Tomasi is quite popular for his novel The Leopard which was published posthumously in 1958. His life and career inspired a docufilm titled Die Geburt des Leoparden which was directed by Luigi Falorni and screened at the 14th Rome Film Festival.

 44 
Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
(Aristocrat)
Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
1
Birthdate: 23rd January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg
Died: July 9, 1985
 45 
Jack Pickford
(Actor, Director)
Jack Pickford
0
Birthdate: 18th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Toronto, Canada
Died: January 3, 1933
 46 
Liam O'Flaherty
(Author)
Liam O'Flaherty
0
Listed In: Novelists
Birthdate: 28th August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Inishmore, Ireland
Died: September 7, 1984
 47 
Nadejda Mountbatten, Marchioness of Milford Haven
(Aristocrat)
Nadejda Mountbatten, Marchioness of Milford Haven
0
Birthdate: 28th March
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Cannes, France
Died: January 22, 1963
 48 
Josephine Tey
(Author Known for Her Novel ‘The Daughter of Time')
Josephine Tey
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 25th July
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Inverness, Scotland
Died: February 13, 1952

Elizabeth Mackintosh, better known by her pseudonym, Josephine Tey, was a physical education teacher before becoming a full-time author. She first tasted success with The Man in the Queue, a detective novel written as Gordon Daviot. Her work A Shilling for Candles was made into a film by Alfred Hitchcock.

 49 
Milena Jesenska
(Czech Writer Who Helped Many Jews Escape From Czechoslovakia After the Advent of The Nazis)
Milena Jesenska
1
Birthdate: 10th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Prague, Czechia
Died: May 17, 1944

Milena Jesenska was a Czech writer, editor, journalist, and translator. She is best remembered for translating Franz Kafka's works from German to Czech and for her romantic relationship with Kafka when she was still married to Ernst Pollak. She is also known for her action of saving the lives of many Jewish and political refugees when the Nazis occupied Czechoslovakia.

 50 
Señor Wences
(Ventriloquist)
Señor Wences
1
Listed In: Comedians
Birthdate: 17th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Salamanca, Spain
Died: April 20, 1999