Famous People Born In 1905

Discover the most famous people born in 1905. The list includes people like Howard Hughes, Ayn Rand, Jean-Paul Sartre, Joan Crawford, Henry Fonda and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include journalists, political leaders, directors and playwrights born in 1905. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, Germany & France and many more countries.
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 1 
Simo Häyhä
(Finnish Military Sniper in World War II)
Simo Häyhä
41
Listed In: Soldiers
Birthdate: 17th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Rautjärvi, Finland
Died: April 1, 2002
Simo Häyhä was a Finnish sniper who served in the Winter War against the Soviet Union, in 1939–1940. He had killed 500 men in the war and received many awards for his exploits. His face was disfigured by a Red Army bullet, and he later retired to a farm.
 2 
Howard Hughes
(Film Producer and an Important Figure in the Aviation Industry Who Became Known for His Ecentric Behavior)
Howard Hughes
49
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 24th December
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Humble, Texas, United States
Died: April 5, 1976

A multi-talented personality, Howard Hughes was one of the richest person of his time. A business tycoon, he made big investments in films and aviation industry. Passionate about flying, he set numerous flying records, and also risked his own life in process. Howard Hughes who inherited his family business and became millionaire at the age of 18, was later on troubled with mental illness and turned recluse.

 3 
Henry Fonda
(American Actor Who Cultivated an Everyman Screen Image in Several Films Considered to be Classics)
Henry Fonda
15
Listed In: Actors
Birthdate: 16th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Grand Island, Nebraska, United States
Died: August 12, 1982
Hollywood legend Henry Fonda, father of Peter and Jane Fonda, is best remembered for his Academy Award-winning role as Norman Thayer Jr. in On Golden Pond. He began his career with Broadway plays and then appeared in classics such as The Grapes of Wrath and 12 Angry Men
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 4 
Greta Garbo
(One of the Greatest Female Stars of Classic Hollywood Cinema)
Greta Garbo
44
Listed In: Actresses
Birthdate: 18th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden
Died: April 15, 1990

Iconic Swedish-American movie star Greta Garbo is remembered for her melancholic characters. She soared to fame with silent movies such as A Woman of Affairs and talkies such as Mata Hari and Anna Karenina. The three-time Academy Award nominee quit films at 35 and lived a private life.

 5 
Christian Dior
(Fashion Designers)
Christian Dior
11
Birthdate: 21st January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Granville
Died: October 23, 1957

Christian Dior was a French fashion designer. He is credited with founding Christian Dior, one of the world's top fashion houses, which is currently owned by Groupe Arnault. At the time of its founding, the clothes designed by Christian Dior revolutionized women's dress. The brand also re-established Paris as the fashion hub of the world after World War II.

 6 
Myrna Loy
(Best Known for Her Role in the Film 'The Thin Man')
Myrna Loy
6
Listed In: Actresses
Birthdate: 2nd August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Helena, Montana, United States
Died: December 14, 1993

Myrna Loy was an American actress best remembered for playing femme fatale roles. Loy was able to break her stereotypical femme fatale on-screen image by playing Nora Charles in the 1934 comedy-mystery film The Thin Man. Although she never received an Academy Award nomination, Myrna Loy was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 1991 for her contribution to cinema.

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 7 
Maria von Trapp
(Stepmother and Matriarch of the 'Trapp Family Singers')
Maria von Trapp
6
Listed In: Vocalists
Birthdate: 26th January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: March 28, 1987

Maria von Trapp was the matriarch of the Austrian singing family, Trapp Family Singers. As a young woman, she married widowed naval commander Georg von Trapp. He already had seven children from his first wife, and the couple had three more. The family began singing together at events and became a popular touring act called the Trapp Family Singers. 

 8 
Jean-Paul Sartre
(Novelist, Playwright, & Philosopher)
Jean-Paul Sartre
26
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 21st June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: April 15, 1980

Jean-Paul Sartre was a French philosopher, writer, literary critic, and political activist. One of the most important personalities in the philosophy of phenomenology and existentialism, Sartre played a crucial role in 20th-century French philosophy. His work continues to influence literary studies, post-colonial theory, sociology, and critical theory. He was honored with the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature.

 9 
Ayn Rand
(Writer and Philosopher Known for Her Best-Selling Novels ‘The Fountainhead’ and ‘Atlas Shrugged’)
Ayn Rand
46
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 2nd February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: March 6, 1982

Ayn Rand was a Russian-American philosopher and writer. Apart from publishing two best-selling novels, Ayn Rand is credited with developing a philosophical system called Objectivism. Over the years, Ayn Rand has been a major influence among American conservatives and libertarians. Some of the famous personalities influenced by her include Amber Heard, Vince Vaughn, Jimmy Wales, Ayelet Shaked, and Mary Ruwart.

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 10 
Clara Bow
(American Actress Who was a Big Star During Silent Era of the 1920s)
Clara Bow
3
Listed In: Actresses
Birthdate: 29th July
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: September 27, 1965
Clara Bow gained fame during the 1920s’ silent film era and then switched to "talkies" in 1929. Her performance in the movie It earned her the nickname The It Girl, and she soon became a sex symbol of the Roaring Twenties. Following her retirement, she started ranching in Nevada. 
 11 
Joseph Cotten
(One of the Leading Hollywood Actors of the 1940s)
Joseph Cotten
10
Listed In: Actors
Birthdate: 15th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Petersburg, Virginia, United States
Died: February 6, 1994

Joseph Cotten was an American actor who achieved prominence on Broadway during the 1930s. He then became a leading Hollywood actor in the 1940s, playing important roles in films like Citizen Kane, Shadow of a Doubt, and Duel in the Sun. In 1960, Joseph Cotten was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 12 
Sterling Holloway
(Voice actor, Film actor, Stage actor, Television actor)
Sterling Holloway
11
Listed In: Voice Actors
Birthdate: 4th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Georgia
Died: November 22, 1992
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 13 
Aldo Gucci
(Businessman, Fashion designer)
Aldo Gucci
7
Birthdate: 26th May
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Florence, Tuscany, Italy
Died: January 19, 1990
 14 
Joel McCrea
(Actor)
Joel McCrea
2
Listed In: Actors
Birthdate: 5th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: South Pasadena, California, USA
Died: October 20, 1990
 15 
Anna May Wong
(American Actress and First Chinese American Film Star in 'Hollywood')
Anna May Wong
5
Listed In: Actresses
Birthdate: 3rd January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: February 3, 1961

Anna May Wong was an American actress and the first Chinese-American to make it big in Hollywood. She is remembered as the first Chinese-American to gain international recognition as an actress. Anna made history in 1951 when she appeared in The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong, becoming the first Asian-American to be featured as the lead in a US television show.

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 16 
Viktor Frankl
(Psychiatrist)
Viktor Frankl
6
Listed In: Psychiatrists
Birthdate: 26th March
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Leopoldstadt, Vienna, Austria
Died: September 2, 1997

Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl founded logotherapy. He also authored several books, most notably his bestselling autobiographical depiction of his ordeal at various Nazi concentration camps, Man's Search for Meaning. He had lost his parents, brother, and wife in the Holocaust. He later won honors such as the Oskar Pfister Award.

 17 
Max Schmeling
(German Boxer Who Was Heavyweight Champion of the World between 1930 and 1932)
Max Schmeling
1
Listed In: Boxers
Birthdate: 28th September
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Klein Luckow, Jatznick, Germany
Died: February 2, 2005
 18 
Andy Devine
(Actor)
Andy Devine
5
Listed In: Actors
Birthdate: 7th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
Died: February 18, 1977
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 19 
Howard McNear
5
Listed In: Actors
Birthdate: 27th January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: January 3, 1969
 20 
Dag Hammarskjöld
(Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1953 to 1961)
Dag Hammarskjöld
13
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 29th July
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Jönköping, Sweden
Died: September 18, 1961

Dag Hammarskjöld was a Swedish diplomat and economist. In 1953, Hammarskjöld became the youngest person to be appointed as the Secretary-General of the United Nations. He died in airplane crash in 1961. Dag Hammarskjöld became the first person to be honored with a Nobel Peace Prize posthumously.

 21 
Tex Ritter
(Singer)
Tex Ritter
6
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: 12th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Murvaul, Texas, USA
Died: January 2, 1974
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 22 
Franchot Tone
4
Listed In: Actors
Birthdate: 27th February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Niagara Falls, New York, United States
Died: September 18, 1968
 23 
Tommy Dorsey
(Trombonist)
Tommy Dorsey
1
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: 19th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: November 26, 1956
 24 
James J. Braddock
(American Boxer Who Held the World Heavyweight Title From 1935 to 1937)
James J. Braddock
8
Listed In: Boxers
Birthdate: 7th June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Hell's Kitchen, New York, United States
Died: November 29, 1974
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 25 
Leo Durocher
(Baseball player)
Leo Durocher
0
Listed In: Baseball Players
Birthdate: 27th July
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: West Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
Died: October 7, 1991
 26 
Otto Preminger
(Director and Producer Best Known for His Film ‘Anatomy of a Murder’)
Otto Preminger
7
Listed In: Directors
Birthdate: 5th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Vyzhnytsya, Ukraine
Died: April 23, 1986

While he initially wished to follow in his prosecutor father’s footsteps to be a lawyer, Otto Preminger later discovered his love for theater. A master stage director, he later signed with Fox as one of its first independent filmmakers. He soared to fame with the 1944 film Laura.  

 27 
Dhyan Chand
(One of the Greatest Field Hockey Players in History)
Dhyan Chand
26
Listed In: Hockey Players
Birthdate: 29th August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India
Died: December 3, 1979

Known as The Magician of field hockey, Dhyan Chand, one of the greatest hockey players from India, is remembered for his three Olympic gold medals and for his ability to control the ball. The Padma Bhushan awardee initially loved wrestling but deviated to hockey after joining the army.

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 28 
Cliff Arquette
(Actor)
Cliff Arquette
3
Birthdate: 27th December
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Toledo, Ohio, United States
Died: September 23, 1974
 29 
Kay Francis
(Actress)
Kay Francis
4
Listed In: Actresses
Birthdate: 13th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States
Died: August 26, 1968
 30 
Lillian Hellman
(Dramatist and Screenwriter)
Lillian Hellman
4
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 20th June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana
Died: June 30, 1984
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 31 
Harry Harlow
(Psychologist)
Harry Harlow
3
Listed In: Psychologists
Birthdate: 31st October
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Fairfield, Iowa, U.S.
Died: December 6, 1981

Psychologist Harry Harlow proved that monkeys raised without their mothers exhibited abnormal psychological development. He had a long association with the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he conducted most of his experiments. He was criticized for using dramatic names, such as “pit of despair,” for his experimental devices.

 32 
Bob Wills
(Musician)
Bob Wills
3
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: 6th March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Limestone County, Texas, United States
Died: May 13, 1975
 33 
Fred Trump
(American Real Estate Developer and Father of Former US President 'Donald Trump')
Fred Trump
73
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: 11th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States
Died: June 25, 1999
Fred Trump, father of Donald Trump, was a well-known real estate developer who built more than 27 thousand apartments in New York. Having lost his father early, Fred ventured into construction business with his mother when he was fifteen. Determined, he built himself a huge fortune but controversies surrounded him too including an investigation for not renting to black families.
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 34 
Faustyna Kowalska
(Polish Catholic Religious Sister and Mystic)
Faustyna Kowalska
7
Listed In: Saints
Birthdate: 25th August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Głogowiec, Poland
Died: October 5, 1938

Polish Catholic nun Faustyna Kowalska is remembered for her diary, which recorded her multiple visions of Jesus and was later published. She later got an artist to paint the Image of the Divine Mercy, based on her visions. Known as the Apostle of Divine Mercy, she was canonized as a saint in 2000.

 35 
Marlin Perkins
(American Zoologist)
Marlin Perkins
2
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: 28th March
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Missouri
Died: June 14, 1986
 36 
Mildred Natwick
(Actress)
Mildred Natwick
4
Listed In: Actresses
Birthdate: 19th June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Died: October 25, 1994
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 37 
Gilbert Roland
(Actor)
Gilbert Roland
3
Listed In: Actors
Birthdate: 11th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Ciudad Juárez, Mexico
Died: May 15, 1994
 38 
Astrid of Sweden
(Queen)
Astrid of Sweden
1
Birthdate: 17th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Stockholm, Sweden
Died: August 29, 1935
 39 
Abraham Zapruder
(Tailor)
Abraham Zapruder
1
Birthdate: 15th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kovel
Died: August 30, 1970
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 40 
John Hoyt
(Actor)
John Hoyt
1
Listed In: Actors
Birthdate: 5th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bronxville, New York, United States
Died: September 15, 1991
 41 
Doris Hare
(Best Known for Her Portrayal of ‘Mrs. Mabel "Mum" Butler’ in ‘On the Buses’)
Doris Hare
1
Listed In: Actresses
Birthdate: 1st March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Bargoed, Wales
Died: May 30, 2000
 42 
Mulk Raj Anand
(One of the First India-Based Writers in English to Gain an International Readership)
Mulk Raj Anand
190
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 12th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Peshawar, Pakistan
Died: September 28, 2004

Mulk Raj Anand was an Indian writer best remembered for his depiction of the people belonging to the backward class in traditional Indian society. Anand, who wrote in English, was one of the first Indian writers to achieve an International readership. In 1968, Mulk Raj Anand was honored with India's third-highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan.

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 43 
Neville Lancelot Goddard
(Barbadian author who wrote on the Bible, mysticism, and self-help.)
Neville Lancelot Goddard
2
Birthdate: 19th February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Saint Michael, Barbados
Died: October 1, 1972
 44 
Arthur Brough
(Actor)
Arthur Brough
1
Birthdate: 26th February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Petersfield, United Kingdom
Died: May 28, 1978
 45 
Karl Wallenda
(German-American High Wire Artist)
Karl Wallenda
1
Listed In: Artists
Birthdate: 21st January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Magdeburg, Germany
Died: March 22, 1978
 46 
Erwin Chargaff
( Austro-Hungarian Biochemist Who Emigrated to America During the Nazi Era)
Erwin Chargaff
4
Listed In: Biochemists
Birthdate: 11th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Chernivtsi, Ukraine
Died: June 20, 2002

Erwin Chargaff was a biochemist and writer who worked at the Columbia University medical school as a professor of biochemistry. He is credited with discovering the Chargaff's rules, which played an important role in the discovery of the DNA's double helix structure. Also a prolific writer, Erwin Chargaff authored several books, including an autobiography.

 47 
J. William Fulbright
(United States Senator)
J. William Fulbright
5
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 9th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Sumner, Missouri, United States
Died: February 9, 1995
 48 
Michael Powell
(English Filmmaker)
Michael Powell
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 30th September
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bekesbourne, Kent, England, United Kingdom
Died: February 19, 1990
 49 
Chick Webb
(Musician)
Chick Webb
1
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: 10th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Died: June 16, 1939
 50 
Mariya Oktyabrskaya
(Tankman)
Mariya Oktyabrskaya
1
Listed In: Soldiers
Birthdate: 16th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Crimea, Russian
Died: March 15, 1944