Famous People Born In 1921

Prince Philip was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. Born into the Greek and Danish royal families, he first met Elizabeth in 1934. After courting her for a few years, he married her in 1947. He was formally made a British prince in 1957. He was the oldest-ever male member of the British royal family. 

American actor, Charles Bronson, had a tough-guy on screen persona and is best known for numerous action and vigilante movies. The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, The Dirty Dozen and Hard Times are some of his notable films. Death Wish was his most popular film and it led to four sequels starring him. He worked from the 1950s to 1990s.

The first American to orbit the Earth, John Glenn was an astronaut, aviator, politician, and businessman. Beginning his career as an army man, he was a fighter pilot in World War II. He later joined NASA and was one of the Mercury Seven. Following his retirement from NASA, he became a politician and served in the US Senate.

Chuck Connors was an American actor, professional baseball and basketball player. Connors is one of 13 athletes to have played in both National Basketball Association and the Major League Baseball. As an actor, he contributed to the success of the popular Western television program The Rifleman. Also known for his charity work, Connors helped found the Chuck Connors Charitable Foundation.

Widely regarded as a legend of classical Hollywood cinema, Lana Turner was one of the most prominent and highest-paid actresses in the mid-1940s. Also considered a popular culture icon of Hollywood glamor, Turner also achieved success as a pin-up model. Her life and career have inspired several works across art, literature, music, and film. 

Sugar Ray Robinson was an American boxer. Considered one of the greatest boxers ever, Robinson held a 91-fight unbeaten streak from 1943 to 1951, the third-longest in the history of professional boxing. Also known for his flamboyant and classy lifestyle outside the ring, Sugar Ray Robinson unsuccessfully tried his hand at a career as an entertainer after retiring from boxing.

Nancy Reagan was an American actress who also served as the first lady of the US between 1981 and 1989. One of her major initiatives as the first lady was her role in founding a drug awareness campaign called Just Say No. She had a strong influence on President Ronald Reagan, having an impact on many of his diplomatic decisions.

Donna Reed was an American actress whose career spanned over four decades. She is best remembered for her performance in the 1953 film From Here to Eternity, which earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Donna Reed is also remembered for her TV work and received the Golden Globe Award for her role in The Donna Reed Show.

Jane Russell was an American actress and singer. Renowned for her beauty, Russell was considered one of the leading sex symbols of Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s. In 2009, Glamour magazine named her in its list of 40 Most Iconic Movie Goddesses. Her contribution to the entertainment industry was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Deborah Kerr was a Scottish actress who holds the record for having the most Academy Award nominations under the Best Actress category without a win. However, she received an Academy Honorary Award in 1994 for her contribution to the entertainment industry. Deborah Kerr was made a CBE in 1998 and also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Abe Vigoda was an American actor, best known for playing Salvatore Tessio in the 1972 crime film The Godfather. He also played important roles in TV series, such as Barney Miller. Apart from acting, Abe Vigoda also enjoyed playing handball, which he played often in his youth.

Sophie Scholl was a German anti-Nazi political activist who was involved with a non-violent resistance group called White Rose. Scholl was executed by guillotine at the age of 21 for distributing anti-war leaflets. Since her death, Sophie Scholl has been viewed as an iconic figure. Her life and work have inspired several films, including Sophie Scholl – The Final Days.

Peter Ustinov was a British actor, writer, and filmmaker. An intellectual, Ustinov held several academic posts and served as the president of the World Federalist Movement. Over the course of his illustrious career, Peter Ustinov won many prestigious awards, such as the Golden Globes, Emmy Awards, Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, and BAFTA Awards.

Nancy Kulp was an American actress best known for her portrayal of Miss Jane Hathaway in the popular television sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies, for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination in 1967. A multi-talented personality, Kulp was also renowned for her comedic skills. She also tried her hand at politics and teaching before succumbing to cancer in 1991.

James Whitmore was an American actor whose career spanned more than 50 years. During his illustrious career, Whitmore won a Grammy, a Tony, and an Emmy Award, narrowly missing an EGOT honor. He also received a Golden Globe Award and two Academy Award nominations. In 1960, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

American mathematician and aerospace engineer Mary Jackson went down in history as the first African-American woman to work as a NASA engineer. Initially a math teacher, she later joined NACA under Dorothy Vaughan and contributed to countless American space programs at a time when racial segregation was the norm.

Esther Williams was an American actress, competitive swimmer, and businesswoman. When she couldn't realize her dream of participating in the 1940 Summer Olympics due to the outbreak of the Second World War, Williams went on to establish herself as an actress. She gained national recognition after playing Annette Kellerman in Million Dollar Mermaid and helped popularize swimming in the USA. 

Michael I, the last King of Romania, ruled the country twice, of which the first-tenure was as a minor. During his second tenure, he removed Ion Antonescu’s government that aligned Romania with Nazi Germany. He declared alliance with Allies but was eventually forced to abdicate by Petru Groza’s government on December 30, 1947, as Romania officially became a People's Republic.

Although best remembered as the cheerful and friendly host of Let's Make a Deal, Molly Hall was also the co-creator and producer of this popular show. Born in Canada, he eventually moved to the USA, where he began producing and hosting number of television and radio shows, eventually being associated with a synonymous brain teaser called the Monty Hall Problem.

Following the violent lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till by a group of white men, his mother Mamie Till-Mobley made a marked contribution to the fight against racism. She became a prominent civil rights activist and established the Emmett Till Players, a group that lectured on hope and unity.

Satyajit Ray was an Indian film director, music composer, and writer. Considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Ray became the first Indian to be honored with an Academy Honorary Award in 1992. Apart from Indian filmmakers, international directors like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Francis Ford Coppola, Wes Anderson, and Christopher Nolan have been influenced by Satyajit Ray. 

Stanisław Lem was a Polish writer who specialized in the science fiction genre. He was also a noted essayist who wrote on varied subjects, including philosophy, futurology, and literary criticism. His books, which have been translated into over 50 languages, have sold more than 45 million copies worldwide. He was the recipient of numerous awards and honors. 

Jean Shepherd was a writer, storyteller, humorist, and radio and TV personality. In a long and productive career that spanned nearly five decades, he gave live performances, wrote scripts and stories, hosted radio shows, and even worked in a few films. He was posthumously inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. He was known to be a private person.