August 31 :: Historical Births Today

Famous Births

• 12 - Gaius Caligula, Roman Emperor (d. 41)


• 161 - Commodus, Roman Emperor (d. 192)


• 1569 - Jahangir, Mughal Emperor of India (d. 1627)


• 1602 – Amalia von Solms, countess of Solms-Braunfels (d. 1675)


• 1663 - Guillaume Amontons, French physicist and instrument maker (d. 1705)


• 1721 - George Hervey, 2nd Earl of Bristol, British statesman (d. 1775)


• 1741 - Jean Paul Egide Martini, French composer (d. 1816)


• 1741 - Husein Gradaščević, Bosniak general (d. 1834)


• 1811 - Theophile Gautier, French poet and novelist (d. 1872)


• 1821 - Hermann von Helmholtz, German physician (d. 1894)


• 1822 - Galusha A. Grow, American politician (d. 1907)


• 1834 - Amilcare Ponchielli, Italian composer (d. 1886)


• 1843 - Georg von Hertling, Chancellor of Germany (d. 1919)


• 1870 - Maria Montessori, Italian educator (d. 1952)


• 1871 - James E. Ferguson, Texan governor (d. 1944)


• 1878 - Frank Jarvis, American athlete (d. 1933)


• 1879 - Alma Mahler, wife of Gustav Mahler, Walter Gropius and Franz Werfel (d. 1964)


• 1880 - Wilhelmina I of the Netherlands (d. 1962)


• 1885 - DuBose Heyward, American playwright (d. 1940)


• 1893 - Lily Laskine, French harpist (d. 1988)


• 1896 - Félix-Antoine Savard, French-Canadian priest and novelist (d. 1982)


• 1897 - Fredric March, American actor (d. 1975)


• 1900 - Gino Lucetti, Italian anarchist (d. 1943)


• 1903 - Arthur Godfrey, American television host (d. 1983)


• 1903 - Vladimir Jankélévitch, French philosopher (d. 1985)


• 1905 - Sanford Meisner, American actor and teacher (d. 1997)


• 1907 - Augustus F. Hawkins, American politician and civil rights lawmaker (d. 2007)


• 1907 - Ramon Magsaysay, Filipino politician (d. 1957)


• 1907 - William Shawn, American editor (d. 1992)


• 1907 - Altiero Spinelli, Italian citizen and advocate of European federalism (d. 1986)


• 1908 - William Saroyan, American novelist (d. 1981)


• 1913 - Sir Bernard Lovell, English radio astronomer


• 1914 - Richard Basehart, American actor (d. 1984)


• 1916 - Daniel Schorr, American journalist


• 1918 - Alan Jay Lerner, American lyricist (d. 1986)


• 1919 - Amrita Preetam, Indian poetess and author (d. 2005)


• 1921 - Raymond Williams, Welsh academic (d. 1988)


• 1924 - Buddy Hackett, American actor and comedian (d. 2003)


• 1927 - Bill Daily, American actor and comedian


• 1928 - James Coburn, American actor (d. 2002)


• 1931 - Noble Willingham, American actor (d. 2004)


• 1931 - Jean Béliveau, Canadian ice hockey player


• 1934 - Nikos Xanthopoulos, Greek actor


• 1935 - Frank Robinson, American baseball player and manager


• 1935 - Eldridge Cleaver, American political activist (d. 1998)


• 1937 - Warren Berlinger, American actor


• 1937 - Bobby Parker, American blues musician/guitarist


• 1938 - Martin Bell, British journalist


• 1938 - Murray Gleeson, Australian Jurist, Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia (b. 1938


• 1939 - Jerry Allison, American drummer (The Crickets)


• 1941 - William DeWitt, Jr., American businessman


• 1944 - Roger Dean, British artist


• 1944 - Jos Leduc pro wrestler


• 1945 - Van Morrison, Northern Irish musician


• 1945 - Itzhak Perlman, Israeli violinist


• 1946 - Jerome Corsi, American writer


• 1947 - Mona Marshall, American voice actress


• 1947 - Yumiko Ōshima, Japanese manga artist


• 1947 - Luca di Montezemolo, Italian businessman


• 1948 - Lowell Ganz, American screenwriter


• 1948 - Rudolf Schenker, German guitarist (Scorpions)


• 1948 - Harald Ertl, Austrian racing driver (d. 1982)


• 1948 - Holger Osieck, German footballer and coach


• 1949 - Richard Gere, American actor


• 1949 - H. David Politzer, American physicist, Nobel Prize laureate


• 1952 - Herbert Reul, German politician


• 1953 - György Károly, Hungarian author


• 1953 - Miguel Ángel Guerra, Argentine racing driver


• 1953 - Pavel Vinogradov, Russian cosmonaut


• 1954 - Julie Brown, American actress, singer-songwriter and screenwriter


• 1954 - Caroline Cossey, English model


• 1955 - Edwin Moses, American athlete


• 1956 - Masashi Tashiro, Japanese television performer


• 1957 - Gina Schock, American drummer (The Go-Go's)


• 1957 - Glenn Tilbrook, British musician (Squeeze)


• 1958 - Serge Blanco, French rugby footballer


• 1959 - Ralph Krueger, German-Canadian ice hockey coach


• 1960 - Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hizballah


• 1960 - Chris Whitley, American musician (d. 2005)


• 1960 - Vali Ionescu, Rumanian long jumper


• 1962 - Dee Bradley Baker, American voice actor


• 1963 - Reb Beach, American guitarist (Winger, Whitesnake)


• 1963 - Todd Carty, Irish actor


• 1963 - Sonny Silooy, Dutch football player


• 1964 - Raymond P. Hammond, American poet and editor


• 1965 - Céline Bonnier, Quebec actress


• 1965 - Daniel Bernhardt, Swiss actor


• 1966 - Jan Einar Thorsen, Norwegian Alpine skier


• 1967 - Anita Moen, Norwegian Cross-country skier


• 1968 - Hideo Nomo, Japanese baseball player


• 1969 - Jonathan LaPaglia, Australian actor


• 1969 - Nathalie Bouvier, French alpine skier


• 1970 - Deborah Gibson, American singer


• 1970 - Queen Rania, Queen of Jordan


• 1970 - Zack Ward, Canadian actor


• 1970 - Arie van Lent, Dutch-German footballer


• 1971 - Pádraig Harrington, Irish professional golfer


• 1972 - Chris Tucker, American actor


• 1973 - Scott Niedermayer, hockey player


• 1974 - Andriy Medvedev, Ukrainian tennis player


• 1975 - Daniel Harding, British conductor


• 1975 - Gabe Kapler, American baseball player and manager


• 1975 - Sara Ramirez, American actress


• 1975 - John Grahame, American-born Canadian hockey player


• 1976 - Radek Martinek, Czechoslovakian ice hockey player


• 1976 - Roque Júnior, Brazilian footballer


• 1976 - Vincent Delerm, French singer-songwriter, pianist and composer


• 1977 - Jeff Hardy, American professional wrestler


• 1977 - Ian Harte, Irish footballer


• 1977 - Craig Nicholls, Australian musician (The Vines)


• 1978 - Phina Oruche, British actress


• 1978 - Philippe Christanval, French footballer


• 1979 - Clay Hensley, professional baseball player


• 1979 - Mickie James, American professional wrestler


• 1979 - Mark Johnston, Canadian swimmer


• 1979 - Simon Neil, Scottish musician (Biffy Clyro)


• 1979 - Ramón Santiago, Dominican baseball player


• 1980 - Joe Budden, American rapper


• 1981 - Joe Swanberg, American filmmaker


• 1981 - 40 Cal, American rapper


• 1981 - Dwayne Peel, Welsh International rugby player


• 1981 - Steve Saviano, American professional hockey player


• 1982 - Ian Crocker, American swimmer


• 1982 - Chris Duhon, American basketball player


• 1982 - Lien Huyghebaert, Belgian athlete


• 1982 - Josh Kroeger, American baseball player


• 1982 - Alexei Mikhnov, Ukrainian-born ice hockey player


• 1982 - Jose Reina, Spanish footballer


• 1982 - Michele Rugolo, Italian racing driver


• 1982 - Patrick Nuo, Swiss singer


• 1982 - G. Willow Wilson, American journalist and comic book writer


• 1983 - Larry Fitzgerald, American football player


• 1984 - Ted Ligety, American alpine skier


• 1984 - Matti Breschel, Danish road bicycle racer


• 1984 - Charl Schwartzel, South African golfer


• 1987 - Petros Kravaritis, Greek footballer