Famous People Born Today

Multifaceted personality, Dolly Parton is a singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, author and businesswoman and is known mainly for her work in country music. She has received various accolades and awards in her very successful singing career spanning several decades and has composed over 3,000 songs. She has also worked in several movies and is a prolific songwriter.

Before his death at the age of 26, Mac Miller had a major impact as a rapper and songwriter. Blue Slide Park, his studio album, became the first independently distributed maiden album since 1995 to top the US Billboard 200. His personal life was marred by depression, substance abuse, and legal issues. He died of drug overdose.

Best known for her powerful mezzo-soprano voice, Janis Joplin was one of the most successful rock stars of her era. Before dying at the age of 27, she achieved so much that Rolling Stone magazine included her in its 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list in 2004 and 100 Greatest Singers of All Time list in 2008.

Talented film and television actress Katey Sagal’s big break came with the popular comedy series Married.... with Children. Later, she lent her voice for the animated series Futurama and gave an award winning performance in the drama series Sons of Anarchy. Her film credits include Futurama: Bender's Big Score and Pitch Perfect 2. She has also released two music albums.

American writer Edgar Allan Poe is regarded as the architect of modern short story, the inventor of the detective-fiction genre and a major contributor towards science fiction genre. The influential writer is recognised for his tales of mystery and macabre. His notable works include The Raven (poem), The Tell-Tale Heart and The Fall of the House of Usher (short stories).

A commander of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, Robert E. Lee commanded the Army of Northern Virginia. He was a skilled tactician who served in the US Army for 32 years. Brilliant from a young age, he was a top graduate of the US Military Academy. In his later years, he became president of Washington College.

Logan Lerman is an American actor who gained international recognition after portraying the title role in the Percy Jackson film series. Lerman serves as an inspiration to those who want to pursue their dream as he chose to become an actor after being born in a family of medical professionals. He is also credited with forming a band called Indigo.

Jodie Sweetin is an American television personality and actress. Despite suffering from alcohol and drug addiction, Sweetin has managed to establish herself in the TV industry. Sober since 2008, Sweetin serves as an inspiration to those suffering from addiction. Apart from being an advocate of drug rehab programs, Sweetin also supports political and social movements, such as Black Lives Matter.

Dustin Poirier is an American mixed martial artist who currently fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). An absolute angel off the ring, Poirier often auctions his UFC kit to donate money to various charitable causes. In 2018, he founded a non-profit organization called The Good Fight Foundation, along with his wife.

Known as a typical Hitchcock Blonde, Tippi Hedren soared to fame with her roles in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds and Marnie. An animal rights activist, too, she set up the Roar Foundation and the Shambala Preserve, after witnessing the plight of the animals that are used for shoots.

Shawn Johnson is a former artistic gymnast who won the 2008 Olympic balance beam gold medal. She is a five-time Pan American Games gold medalist and a three-time U.S. all-around champion as well. She retired from gymnastics in  2012. She was the winner of season eight of the dance competition show Dancing with the Stars.  

Jean Stapleton was an American actress best known for her portrayal of Edith Bunker in the popular sitcom, All in the Family, for which she won two Golden Globe Awards and three Emmy Awards. In 2002, she was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame as well as the Television 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.

Marsha Thomason is an English actress best known for portraying Sarah Evers in the 2003 American film, The Haunted Mansion. She took an interest in acting at the age of 13 when she started taking part in youth theatre productions at the Oldham Theatre Workshop. She then went on to establish herself as an actress in the American TV industry.

Jenson Button is a British racing driver best known for winning the Formula One World Championship title in 2009. A popular driver, Button is the recipient of several prestigious awards such as the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy and the Hawthorn Memorial Trophy. In 2017, Jenson Button was made an inductee of the FIA Hall of Fame.

Painter Thomas Kinkade is remembered for his realistic and idyllic themes. He gained fame by selling printed copies of his art through the Thomas Kinkade Company. He called himself the "Painter of Light” and copyrighted the phrase, too. The movie Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage was based on his life.

Chinese actor Vin Zhang soared to fame with series such as Chronicle of Life and The King's Woman. He made headlines when a netizen claiming to be his neighbor stated that Zhang was already married and had a child, though Zhang later denied the rumor, claiming he was single.

Hikaru Utada is a Japanese-American singer, producer, and songwriter. She achieved popularity after releasing her first Japanese-language studio album First Love, which became Japan's best-selling album of all time. Utada was regarded as the most influential artist of the 2000s in Japan. She is also one of the most decorated Japanese artists of her generation.

Best known for his 2014 psychological drama film Whiplash, Damien Chazelle is a Rhode Island-born American film director and screenwriter. An alumnus of the Harvard University, he began his career with a black-and-white musical, writing screenplays before making his breakthrough with Whiplash, winning several awards not only for the film, but also for La La Land and First Man.

Swedish former tennis player Stefan Edberg was once the world No. 1 professional tennis player (in both singles and doubles). He won six Grand Slam singles titles and three Grand Slam men's doubles titles, besides the Masters Grand Prix. Following his retirement from professional tennis, he began playing competitive squash and became an elite player in Sweden.