Famous People Born In 1944

An award-winning actor, Danny DeVito overcame a rare genetic disorder called Fairbank's disease to become an influential figure in the American film industry. Along with Michael Shamberg, he founded a production company called Jersey Films, which went on to produce films like Pulp Fiction. He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011.

One of the most decorated American actors, Michael Douglas is popular for playing a variety of roles. Apart from acting, Michael Douglas has received attention for his political activism and humanitarianism. A cancer survivor, Douglas serves as an inspiration to those suffering from the disease; he recovered from stage IV tongue cancer.

From working as a construction foreman to a regular visitor to the state prisons in California, Danny Trejo's future looked bleak. However, his boxing skills came to his rescue as he landed the job of training Eric Roberts for a boxing scene in one of his movies. Eventually, Trejo became a film star and part of an incredible rags-to-riches story.

With several prestigious honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, under her belt, Diana Ross is one of the most popular and influential singers of all time. In 1976, Billboard named her the Female Entertainer of the Century. She has influenced popular artists like Madonna, Beyoncé, and Michael Jackson.

An English musician, songwriter, and record producer, Jimmy Page gained international recognition as the founder of the popular rock band Led Zeppelin. Widely regarded as one of the most influential and greatest guitarists of all time, Jimmy Page was ranked third in Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Jimmy Page has influenced several popular guitarists.

The father of former WWE wrestler and actor Dwayne Johnson, Rocky Johnson was a popular Canadian professional wrestler. He was the first black wrestler to win the Georgia Heavyweight Championship. He inspired several popular wrestlers, such as The Rock. He is also credited with helping wrestlers like Hulk Hogan establish themselves in the wrestling world.

Barry White was an American musician, composer, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Renowned for his bass-baritone voice, White was one of the most popular vocalists of his generation. Having sold more than 100 million records worldwide, Barry White is counted among the best-selling musicians of all time.

Grammy-winning artist Joe Cocker is best remembered for his tracks You Are So Beautiful and Up Where We Belong. His chartbusting version of the Beatles song With a Little Help from My Friends was the theme song of the series The Wonder Years. He also received an OBE.

John Rhys-Davies is best known as Gimli and the voice of Treebeard from The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He is also known for voicing Cassim in Aladdin and the King of Thieves. His other notable projects include Shōgun, Sliders, and the James Bond film The Living Daylights.

Stockard Channing is an American actress best known for playing Abbey Bartlet on the political drama TV series The West Wing. Over the years, Channing has been contributing to the success of many TV series as an actress, for which she has received 13 Primetime Emmy Award nominations. A seven-time Tony Award nominee, Channing is also an important stage actress.

Roger Daltrey is an English actor, film producer, singer, and songwriter. He is credited with co-founding the popular rock band The Who. Renowned for his soulful voice, Daltrey was named in Rolling Stone magazine's 100 greatest singers of all-time list in 2010. Also known for his charity work, Daltrey has been a patron of the Children's Respite Trust since 2011.

Activist, philosopher, academic and author, Angela Davis is a founding member of the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism (CCDS). She has worked in the areas of feminism, class, race and the US prison system. She has also received criticism for supporting the erstwhile Soviet Union and has been accused of supporting political violence.

English-born American television presenter, actor, politician, and musician Jerry Springer is a multifaceted man. A qualified lawyer, he shifted to politics from law as a young man. After a few years, he moved to journalism and found considerable success. As a TV presenter, he is best known for the tabloid talk show, The Jerry Springer Show. 

Craig T. Nelson is an American stand-up comedian and actor. One of the earliest members of the popular comedy troupe The Groundlings, Nelson went on to form his own comedy team along with Rudy De Luca and Barry Levinson. Also an avid racer and motorsports fan, Nelson founded the Screaming Eagles Racing in 1992.

Dutch actor Rutger Hauer, tagged as the Best Dutch Actor of the Century by the Dutch public, gained spotlight with his debut film, Turkish Delight, the most successful film in the history of Dutch cinema. Moving on, he gained international recognition with other Dutch films like Spetters, and etched his name in Hollywood with films like Nighthawks and Blade Runner.   

Michelle Phillips is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and former model. She is credited with co-founding the folk rock vocal group The Mamas & the Papas and is the last surviving original member of the group. After the disbandment of the group, Phillips went on to establish herself as an actress, playing lead roles in TV films like The California Kid.

Retired singer, songwriter, and bassist, Peter Cetera, first gained fame as an original member of the rock band Chicago. He later launched a successful solo career as well. He often collaborated with David Foster and Amy Grant over the course of his long career. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. 

John Entwistle was an English singer-songwriter, bass guitarist, and music producer. He is credited with co-founding the popular rock band, The Who, for which he served as the original bass guitarist and backing vocalist. Nicknamed Thunderfingers, Entwistle was named in Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Bass Players list. He was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Shelley Fabares is an American actress best known for playing Christine Armstrong in the popular television series, Coach, for which she received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Also known for her skills as a singer, Fabares recorded Lee Pockriss' and Lyn Duddy's song, Johnny Angel, in 1961, helping it reach the top position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Brenda Lee is a singer best-known for performing country music and pop. One of the earliest pop singers to enjoy a contemporary international following, Lee was among the most-charted singers during the 1960s. A Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Lee is the only female performer to be inducted into both the Country Music and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame.

Jeff Beck is a British rock guitarist renowned for his association with popular rock bands like The Yardbirds, Beck, Bogert & Appice, and The Jeff Beck Group. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential players in history, Beck has won several awards like the Grammy Awards. He has also appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine thrice.

The son of popular actor and singer Frank Sinatra, Frank Sinatra Jr. followed in the footsteps of his father to become a singer-songwriter and conductor. He was kidnapped at age 19 and released two days later. The kidnapping was rumored to be a publicity stunt to promote his singing career, which he established around the same time.

Bobby Womack began his career with his family band The Valentinos, after gaining a record deal with The Soul Stirrers singer Sam Cooke. He later began a solo career and became famous for tracks such as Lookin’ for a Love. He also contributed to the soundtrack of Across 110th Street.

Best known to fans as Emperor Palpatine or Darth Sidious in the Star Wars movie series, Scottish actor Ian McDiarmid also had a successful career in British theater. His performance as Teddy in the play Faith Healer won him a Tony Award, while he earned an Olivier Award for the play Insignificance.