Famous People Born In 1931

Best remembered for his role in the film, Rebel Without a Cause, actor James Dean was a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment. Despite having a difficult childhood, he was an exceptional student. He began acting as a young man and was quite successful. Sadly, he was killed in a car crash at the young age of 24.

A veteran actor with a career spanning more than seven decades, James Earl Jones has been described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors. He initially aspired to be a doctor but fate had other plans for him. He began his career as a stage actor and soon joined films as well.

Canadian actor, William Shatner, is best known for his roles in the television series Boston Legal, a legal drama for which he won two Emmy Awards and Star Trek, a science fiction adventure. He has also worked in many other sitcoms and films and has authored a number of science fiction novels. He is a singer and a spoken-word artist too.

Rita Moreno is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Renowned for her work in film, television, and theater in a career spanning more than seven decades, Rita is among a few elite performers to have received all four major American entertainment awards: Tony, Grammy, Emmy, and an Oscar. Among Rita Moreno’s numerous accolades is the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Born into a poor peasant family, Mikhail Gorbachev went on to become one of the most influential figures of the Soviet Union. He served in various positions, most notably as the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. He is regarded as one of the most prominent personalities of the 20th century.

Anne Bancroft was an American actress known for her versatility. Having won an Oscar, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Tony Awards, she is one of the 24 performers to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting. In 2010, her husband Mel Brooks credited her for being an inspiration behind the development of his musicals Young Frankenstein and The Producers.

Professional baseball player Mickey Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees. He played as a center fielder, right fielder, and first baseman. Regarded by many as the greatest switch hitter in baseball history, he won the Triple Crown in 1956 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. 

As an actor and filmmaker, Robert Duvall has had a remarkable career spanning more than 60 years. In recognition of his service to performing arts, President George W. Bush honored him with the National Medal of Arts at the White House in 2005. Apart from being an actor, he is also a skilled Argentine Tango dancer.

Barbara Eden is an American actress known for playing Jeannie in the TV series I Dream of Jeannie. Over the years, Barbara Eden has made significant contributions to television for which she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was also honored with a Doctor of Laws degree by the University of West Los Angeles.

Willie Mays is considered one of the all-time greats of baseball. His breathtaking catch of Vic Wertz’s fly ball is etched as a great movement in the history of the sport. Associated with New York / San Francisco Giants for about two decades, the former center fielder with record Major League Football putouts, features in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Charles Nelson Reilly was an American actor, director, comedian, and drama teacher. He was best known for his work on the television panel game show Match Game where he was a regular panelist between 1973 and 1991. He was also known for voicing popular animated characters like Humpty Dumpty, Mr. Toad, and Dirty Bubble.

George Jones was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Renowned for his distinctive voice and phrasing, George Jones was widely regarded as the greatest living country singer during the last 20 years of his life. Jones is also remembered for staying painstakingly loyal to country music throughout his life. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992.

Jack Swigert was an American astronaut who flew to the moon and spent nearly six days in space. He was an engineer who also held a masters degree in business administration. He was involved in the infamous Apollo 15 postal covers incident. He ventured into politics with mixed fortunes.  He was elected to the US Congress but died before being sworn in.

Mike Nichols started as a comedian with the troupe The Compass Players and then performed as part of the Grammy-winning duo Nichols and May. Nichols then delivered Tony-winning directorial stage ventures such as Luv and Death of a Salesman and won the Academy Award for his direction in The Graduate. 

Diana Dors was an English singer and actress who became renowned as one of the most famous sex symbols of her generation in the UK. She achieved stardom, first as a blonde bombshell—who made headlines for organizing lavish parties—and later as a regular chat-show guest. Diana Dors’ life and career inspired a 1999 TV biographical film titled The Blonde Bombshell.      

Barbara Bain is an American actress best known for playing Cinnamon Carter in the popular TV series Mission: Impossible, for which she received a Golden Globe Award nomination and three Primetime Emmy Awards. For her contribution to the American film and TV industry, Barbara Bain was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 28, 2016. 

Roger Penrose’s contribution to the research related to the black hole and general relativity earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2020. The Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics at Oxford, Roger is also a fellow of Wadham College, St John's College of Cambridge, and University College London.

Swedish actress Anita Ekberg is best known for her role in the comedy-drama film La Dolce Vita. She worked primarily in Italy and later became a citizen of the country. She began modeling as a teenager and eventually entered films as well. Beautiful and voluptuous, she became a popular name within a few years.

Economist and political activist Daniel Ellsberg has also served as a U.S. military analyst and worked for RAND Corporation. He made headlines after releasing the Pentagon Papers to leading newspapers such as The New York Times. However, the charges of theft and conspiracy levelled against him were later dismissed.