Famous Birthdays on April 1

Birthdays 1 - 200 of 294

• 1220 Emperor Go-Saga of Japan (d. 1272)
• 1283 Ludwig IV, Duke of Bavaria (1301-47), King of the Romans (1314-47) and Holy Roman Emperor (1328-47), born in Munich (d. 1347)

• 1543 François de Bonne, duc de Lesdiguières, Constable of France (d. 1626)
• 1578 William Harvey, English physician (discovered blood circulation), born in Folkestone, Kent (d. 1657)
• 1582 Thomas Simpson, English composer who worked in Germany, born in Kent (d. 1628)
• 1610 Charles de Saint-Évremond, French soldier (d. 1703)
• 1621 Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, ninth Nanak, 9th of 10 Guru of the Sikhs, born in Amritsar, India (d. 1675)
• 1640 Georg Mohr, Danish mathematician (d. 1697)
• 1643 Christian Demelius, composer
• 1647 John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester, English poet (d. 1680)
• 1697 Antoine François Prévost, French author and novelist (d. 1763)
• 1721 Pieter Hellendaal, Dutch violinist/organist/composer (Glees)
• 1725 Francois Bainville, French organist and composer (d. 1788)
• 1753 Joseph de Maistre, French diplomat and writer (d. 1821)
• 1755 Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, French lawyer (Fisiologia del Gusto)
• 1765 Luigi Schiavonetti, Italian engraver (d. 1810)

• 1772 Ignaz Franz von Mosel, Austrian composer, born in Vienna (d. 1844)

• 1785 J H Ferdinand Olivier, German painter
• 1802 Hubert Reis, German composer and violinist, born in Bonn (d. 1886)
• 1807 Fredrik Cygnaeus, Finnish poet/literature critic
• 1809 Willem Ruys J Dz, Dutch ship owner

• 1817 Johannes J van Oosterzee, Dutch theologist
• 1823 Simón Bolívar Buckner, Lt Gen (Confederate Army), (d. 1914)
• 1834 Big Jim Fisk, American entrepreneur (d. 1872)
• 1834 Isidore Legouix, French composer, born in Paris, France (d. 1916)
• 1843 Ludwig Enneccerus, German jurist
• 1847 Jules-Nicolas Crevaux, French explorer (South America)
• 1852 Edward Austin Abbey, American painter (Quest of the Holy Grail)
• 1854 Bill Traylor, American artist (d. 1949)
• 1856 Acacio Gabriel Viegas, Indian physician who identified the plague in Bombay, born in Apora, Portuguese India (d. 1933)
• 1858 Arnold Aletrino, Dutch physician-criminologist/author (From Life)
• 1858 Gaetano Mosca, Italian sociologist (Circulation of Elite)
• 1864 Marie Jungius, Dutch fairy tale writer
• 1865 Richard Zsigmondy, German chemist (Nobel-1925)
• 1866 Ferruccio Busoni, Italian pianist, composer, and conductor (Arlecchino), born in Empoli (d. 1924)
• 1866 Sophonisba Breckenridge, scholar/teacher/social activist
• 1868 Edmond Rostand, French poet/playwright (Cyrano de Bergerac)
• 1869 Peter A Egge, Norwegian writer (De Droom)
• 1871 F. Melius Christiansen, Norwegian-American violinist, and choral conductor (St. Olaf Choir, 1912-44), born in Eidsvold, Norway (d. 1955)
• 1872 Tadeusz Joteyko, Polish conductor, composer, and musicologist (Zygmunt August), born in Poczujki, Russian Empire (d. 1932)
• 1873 Sergei Rachmaninoff, Russian-American piano virtuoso, conductor, and composer (Aleko; Piano Concerto No. 3, Vocalise), born in Oneg or Semyonovo, Russian Empire (d. 1943) [OS=Mar 20]

• 1878 Carl Sternheim, German playwright (Hyperion/Tabula Rasa)
• 1880 Agha Petros, Assyrian general (d. 1932)
• 1882 Paul Anspach, Belgian fencer (Olympic gold individual epée, team epée 1912), born in Burcht, Belgium (d. 1981)
• 1883 Alexander Vasilyevich Alexandrov, Russian Soviet composer, born in Plakhino, Ryazan Governorate (d. 1946) [OS date]
• 1883 Leonidas "Lon" Chaney, American actor nicknamed "the man of a 1000 faces" (The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, The Phantom of the Opera), born in Colorado Springs, Colorado (d. 1930)
• 1884 Hugo Bezdek, Czech American College Football Hall of Fame coach (University of Oregon, University of Arkansas, Penn State; NFL: Cleveland Browns; MLB: Pittsburgh Pirates), born in Prague, Czech Republic (d. 1952)
• 1884 Laurette Taylor [Helen Loretta Cooney], American actress (Peg o' My Heart), born in NYC, New York (d. 1946)
• 1885 Clementine Ogilvy Spencer-Churchill (Hozier), British barones
• 1886 Casimir von Pászthory, Austrian composer, born in Budapest (d. 1966)

• 1887 Leonard Bloomfield, US linguist
• 1891 Frank Rankin, Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame rover (Toronto Eatons, Toronto St. Michael's Majors) and coach (Toronto Granites-Canada Olympic gold 1924), born in Stratford, Ontario (d. 1932)
• 1893 Cicely Courtneidge, Australian actress (Double Exposure), born in Sydney, New South Wales (d. 1980)
• 1895 Alberta Hunter, American blues singer, and composer ("Downhearted Blues"), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 1984)
• 1897 Doc Alexander, American College Football Hall of Fame guard (Syracuse; All Pro 1921, 22; Rochester Jeffersons; NFL C'ship 1925; NY Giants), born in Silver Creek, New York (d. 1975)
• 1897 Lucille Bogan, American blues singer and songwriter ("Sweet Petunia"; "Black Angel Blues"), born in Amory, Mississippi (d. 1948)
• 1897 Willem H van de Pol, Dutch theologist (Christian Dilemma)
• 1898 Pola Gojawiczynska, Polish writer (Stolica)
• 1898 Roger Bastide, French sociologist
• 1898 William James Sidis, American genius (d. 1944)
• 1899 Gustavs Celmins, Latvian politician (d. 1968)
• 1899 Lida Durdikova, Czech children's author (Children with extinguished eyes) and publisher (Père Castor), born in Prague (d. 1955)
• 1900 Robert McDowell, Mayor of Maryborough, Queensland (d. 1988)
• 1900 Stefanie Clausen, Danish diver (Olympic gold 10m platform 1920), born in Vesterbro, Denmark (d. 1981)
• 1901 Boris Koutzen, Russian violinist, composer, and educator, born in Uman, Russia (now Ukraine) (d. 1966)
• 1901 Johnny Farrell, American golfer (US Open 1928), born in White Plains, NY (d. 1988)
• 1901 Whittaker Chambers, American writer, editor, and defector (d. 1961)
• 1902 Laxmidas Purshottamdas Jai, Indian cricket batsman (1 Test; captain Bombay in inaugural Ranji Trophy win 1935), born in Bombay, India (d. 1968)
• 1902 Maria Polydouri, Greek poet (d. 1930)
• 1904 Juan Gil-Albert, Spanish poet and writer, born in Alcoy (d. 1994)
• 1905 Clara "Mother" Hale, US social worker (Hale House)

• 1905 Winfried Zillig, German opera composer, and conductor (Fantasia Irica), born in Würzburg, Germany (d. 1963)
• 1906 Ned Glass, Polish-American actor (Sol-Julia, Uncle Moe-Bridget Loves Bernie), born in Poland (d. 1984)
• 1906 Sigve Lie, Norwegian sailor (Olympic gold dragon class 1948, 52), born in Haugesund, Norway (d. 1958)
• 1907 Walter Kaufmann, German-American conductor (Winnipeg Symphony, 1948-57), composer (Navaratnam), and musicologist (The Ragas of South India), born in Karlsbad, Germany (d. 1984)
• 1908 Abraham H Maslow, US psychologist (humanistic psychology)
• 1909 (Edwin) "Eddy" Duchin, American jazz pianist and bandleader (Eddy Duchin Orchestra), born in Cambridge, Massachusetts (d. 1951)
• 1909 Abner Biberman, American director and actor (His Girl Friday, The Leopard Man), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 1977)
• 1910 Harry Carney, American tenor and baritone jazz saxophonist (Duke Ellington Orchestra, 1927-74), born in Boston, Massachussets (d. 1974)
• 1911 Gunther Rennert, opera director and producer, born in Essen, Germany
• 1911 Joe Fortenberry, American basketball forward (captain Olympic gold 1936), born in Leo, Texas (d. 1993)
• 1914 Carla van Neste, Belgian violinist
• 1914 Lor Tok [Sawong Supsamruay], Thai comedian and actor (Ngern, Ngern, Ngern), born in Bangkok Yai, Thailand (d. 2002)
• 1915 Art Lund, American pop baritone singer ("Mam'selle"), screen and stage actor (Fiorello!), born in Salt Lake City, Utah (d. 1990)
• 1915 Jeff Heath, Canadian baseball outfielder (MLB All Star 1941, 43, 45; Cleveland Indians), born in Fort William, Ontario (d. 1975)
• 1915 Otto Wilhelm Fischer, Austrian actor (Helden, Ich suche dich), born in Klosterneuburg, Austria-Hungary (d. 2004)
• 1917 Johnny Andrews, American singer and host (Songs at Twilight), born in Boston, Massachusetts
• 1917 Leon Janney (Ramon), American actor (Charly, Stolen Paradise, Hawk), born in Ogden, Utah (d. 1980)
• 1919 Joseph Murray, American surgeon, Nobel laureate, (d. 2012)

• 1921 Beau Jack, American boxer (NYSAC world lightweight champion 1942-44), born in Waynesboro, Georgia (d. 2000)
• 1921 Douglas Allenbrook, American pianist, harpsichord player, and composer, born in Alton, Massachusetts (d. 2003)
• 1921 Ken Reardon, Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman and executive (Stanley Cup 1946; NHL All-Star 1946-50; Montreal Canadiens), born in Winnipeg, Manitoba (d. 2008)
• 1921 Steve Race, British composer, jazz pianist and radio and television presenter (BBC's "My Music", 1967-94), born in Lincoln, England (d. 2009)
• 1921 William Bergsma, American composer (The Fortunate Islands; The Murder of Comrade Sharik), and educator (Juilliard, 1946-63; University of Washington, 1963-86), born in Oakland, California (d. 1994)
• 1922 (Irving) "Duke" Jordan, American jazz pianist (Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Sonny Stitt), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2006)
• 1922 Emil 'Bus' Mosbacher, American yachtsman (America's Cup 1962 [Weatherly], 1967 [Intrepid]), born in White Plains, New York (d. 1997)
• 1922 Jimmie Lloyd [Logdon], American country and rockabilly singer ("I Got a Rocket in My Pocket"), born in Panther, Kentucky (d. 2001)
• 1922 William Manchester, Attleboro Mass, historian (Death of a President)
• 1923 Robert "Bobby" Jordan, American actor (Dead End Kids, Kid Dynamite, Flying Wild), born in Harrison, New York (d. 1965)
• 1924 Brendan Byrne, Governor of New Jersey
• 1924 Čkalja [Miodrag Petrović], Serbian actor and one of the most popular comedians of former Yugoslavia, born in Kruševac, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (d. 2003)
• 1924 Günther Becker, German classical and electro-acoustic composer, born in Forbach, Germany (d. 2007)
• 1925 Kathy Stobart, British jazz tenor saxophonist, bandleader, and teacher, born in South Shields, England (d. 2014)
• 1925 Sala Burton, American politician (Rep-D-CA, 1983-87), born in Białystok, Poland (d. 1987)

• 1926 Charles Bressler, American tenor
• 1926 Denis Lalanne, French sports journalist ('Le grand combat du XV de France'; 'Rugbymania: French flair attitude'), born in Pau, France (d. 2019)
• 1926 Lyndon Brook, British actor (Invasion, Reach for the Sky), born in York, England (d. 2004)
• 1927 Amos Milburn, American R&B singer and pianist ("One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer"), born in Houston, Texas (d. 1980)
• 1927 Walter Bahr, American soccer midfielder (19 caps) and coach (Penn State), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2018)
• 1928 Dimitri Frenkel Frank, Dutch writer/director (Hadimassa)
• 1928 George Grizzard, American Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor (Wrong is Right, Bachelor Party, Attica), born in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina (d. 2007)
• 1928 Herbert Klein, newscaster/press secretary
• 1929 Bo Schembechler Jr., American College Football Hall of Fame tackle (Miami U), coach (Miami U 1963-68, University of Michigan 1969-89; career record 234–65–8), and administrator (Michigan), born in Barberton, Ohio (d. 2006)
• 1929 Jane Powell [Suzanne Burce], American singer and actress (Royal Wedding; Seven Brides for Seven Brothers), born in Portland, Oregon (d. 2021)
• 1929 Milan Kundera, Czech-French poet and novelist (The Joke: The Unbearable Lightness of Being; Immortality), born in Brno, Czechoslovakia
• 1929 Payut Ngaokrachang, Thai animator {The Adventure of Sudsakorn), born in Klong Warl, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Thailand (d. 2010)
• 1930 Dennis Young, New Zealand rugby union hooker (22 caps; Canterbury 139 games), born in Christchurch, New Zealand (d. 2020)
• 1930 Grace Lee Whitney, American singer and actress (Star Trek - "Yeoman Rand"), born in Ann Arbor, Michigan (d. 2015)
• 1930 Joan Franks-Williams, composer
• 1931 Charles Price, American Businessman and diplomat, born in Kansas City, Missouri (d. 2012)
• 1931 George Baker, Bulgarian-born British actor (I, Claudius, Goodbye Mr Chips, Curse of the Fly), born in Varna, Bulgaria (d. 2011)
• 1931 Illse "Ita" Ever, Estonian actress (Miss Marple- "Chyornykh drozdov"), born in Paide, Järva County
• 1931 Rolf Hochhuth, German playwright (Der Stellvertreter), born in Eschwege, Germany (d. 2020)
• 1932 (Mary Frances) "Debbie" Reynolds, American actress and singer (Singin' In The Rain -"Kathy Selden"; The Unsinkable Molly Brown), born in El Paso, Texas (d. 2016)
• 1932 François Moncla, French rugby union flanker (31 Tests; Racing 92, Section Paloise), born in Louvie-Juzon, France (d. 2021)
• 1932 Gordon Jump, American actor (WKRP in Cincinnati - "Arthur Carlson"; Growing Pains - "Ed"; Maytag Repairman), born in Dayton, Ohio (d. 2003)
• 1932 Jiri Smutny, Czech composer, born in Prague
• 1933 Dan Flavin, American minimalist sculptor, born in New York City (d. 1996)
• 1933 Robert Shavlakadze, Georgian high jumper (Olympic gold high jump for Soviet Union 1960), born in Tbilisi, Georgia (d. 2020)
• 1933 Stan Weston, US toy licensing agent, had concept for G.I. Joe, born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2017)
• 1934 Don Hastings, American actor (Capt Video, Bob-As the World Turns), born in Brooklyn, New York
• 1934 Jim Ed Brown, American country music singer (Nashville on the Road), born in Sparkman, Arkansas
• 1934 Vladimir Posner, Russian-French-American journalist who represented and explained the views of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, born in Paris
• 1935 Billy Whelan, Irish soccer forward (4 caps, Rep Ireland; Manchester United 79 games; died Munich air disaster), born in Dublin, Republic of Ireland (d. 1958)
• 1935 Hans H Boswinkel, actor and director (Surprise Attack, Tutorials in Love)
• 1935 John Murray, England cricket wicketkeeper (21 Tests; 55 dismissals), born in London, England (d. 2018)
• 1935 Larry McDonald, American politician (d. 1983)
• 1936 Jean-Pascal Delamuraz, Swiss politician, president of the Confederation in 1989 and 1996 (d. 1998)
• 1936 Ron Perranoski, American MLB pitcher (World Series 1963, 65; LA Dodgers; AL saves leader 1969, 70) and coach (World Series 1981, 88; LAD), born in Paterson, New Jersey (d. 2020)
• 1937 Yilmaz Güney, Kurdish film director (Yol; Arkadaş; Baba; Ağit), born in Yenice, Karataş, Turkey
• 1938 John Quade, American actor
• 1939 Ali MacGraw, American actress (Love Story, Goodbye Columbus), born in Pound Ridge, New York
• 1939 Nick Peters, American Baseball Hall of Fame writer (Oakland Tribune, Sacramento Bee, Berkeley Gazette, San Francisco Chronicle), born in San Francisco, California (d. 2015)

• 1939 Rudolph Isley, American rocker (Isley Brothers - "Shout"), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
• 1939 Vitali Davydov, Russian ice hockey defenceman (Olympic gold 1964, 68, 72; HC Dynamo Moscow), born in Moscow, Russia
• 1940 Annie Nightingale, English broadcaster, 1st BBC Radio 1 female presenter, born in London

• 1941 Ajit Wadekar, Indian cricket batsman and captain (37 Tests; top score 143; Bombay), born in Mumbai, India (d. 2018)
• 1942 Alan Blakley, British guitarist and record producer (The Tremeloes - "Here Comes My Baby"; "Silence Is Golden"), born in Bromley, Kent, England (d. 1996)
• 1942 Danny Brooks [Jim Mealey], American pop bass vocalist (The Dovells - "Bristol Stomp"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 197?)
• 1942 Phil Margo, American rock vocalist (Tokens - "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"), born in Brooklyn, New York
• 1942 Samuel R. Delany Jr, American sci-fi author (Towers of Toron; Neveryona), born in Harlem, New York
• 1944 Carol White, England, actress (Daddy's Gone a Hunting)
• 1944 Rusty Staub, American baseball utility (6 x MLB All Star; Houston Colt .45s / Astros; Montreal Expos; NY Mets; Detroit Tigers) and broadcaster (Mets games 1986-95), born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 2018)
• 1945 Ali Ahmed Aslam, Pakistani-Scottish restaurateur (credited with creation of Chicken Tikki Masala), born near Lahore, British Raj (now Pakistan) (d. 2022)
• 1945 Heather Young, American actress (Land of the Giants), born in Bremerton
• 1945 John Barbata, American drummer (Turtles - "Happy Together"; "Elenore"), born in Passiac, New Jersey
• 1945 Kenny Buttrey, American influential drummer, born in Nashville, Tennessee (d. 2004)
• 1946 Arrigo Sacchi, Italian soccer coach (Italy national team 1991-96; Serie A 1987-88; European Cup 1989, 90; AC Milan; Atlético Madrid, Parma), born in Fusignano, Italy
• 1946 Manfred Stengl, Austrian luger (Olympic gold men's doubles 1964), born in Salzburg, Austria (d. 1992)
• 1946 Ronnie "Plonk" Lane, English rock bassist (Small Faces - "Hey Girl"), born in London, England
• 1946 William Frederick Fisher, American MD & astronaut (STS 51-I), born in Dallas, Texas
• 1947 Alain Connes, French mathematician
• 1947 Norm Van Lier, American basketball point guard (NBA All Star 1974, 76, 77; Chicago Bulls) and broadcaster (Comcast SportsNet), born in East Liverpool, Ohio (d. 2009)
• 1947 Robin Scott, English singer (M), born in London
• 1948 J. J. Williams, Welsh rugby union winger (30 caps Wales, 7 British & Irish Lions; Grand Slam 1976, 78), born in Nantyffyllon, Wales (d. 2020)
• 1948 Javier Irureta, Spanish soccer midfielder (6 caps; Atlético Madrid, Athletic Bilbao) and manager (Deportivo La Coruña 1998-2005), born in Irun, Spain
• 1948 Simon Crowe, Irish rock drummer (Boomtown Rats - "I Don't Like Mondays"), born in Dublin, Ireland
• 1948 Willie Montañez, Puerto Rican baseball first baseman (MLB All Star 1977; Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves), born in Cataño, Puerto Rico
• 1949 Gérard Mestrallet, French businessman (Engie), born in Paris, France
• 1949 Gill Scott-Heron, American poet, singer, and pianist ("Whitey On The Moon"; “Johannesburg"), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2011)
• 1949 Paul Manafort, American political consultant (Trump campaign chairman), born in New Britain, Connecticut
• 1949 Sammy Nelson, Irish soccer left back (51 caps Northern Ireland; Arsenal), born in Belfast, Northern Ireland
• 1950 Billy Currie, British rock keyboardist and violinist (Ultravox), born in Huddersfield, England
• 1950 Ed[uardus] HTM Nijpels, Dutch minister of Environment (VVD)
• 1950 Leonard van Spirit, Dutch-British food magnate
• 1950 Samuel Alito, U.S. Supreme Court Justice (2006-), born in Trenton, New Jersey
• 1951 Henry Gross, American guitarist (Sha Na Na, 1969-70), and singer-songwriter ("Shannon"), born in Brooklyn, New York
• 1951 John Philip Abizaid, U.S. Army General, former CENTCOM commander
• 1952 Abdel Basset Ali Al-Megrahi, Tripoli Libya, bomber (Pan Am 103), (d. 2012)
• 1952 Annette O'Toole, American actress (Cat People, Superman III), born in Houston, Texas
• 1952 Bernard Stiegler, French philosopher
• 1952 Rob Wasserman, American jazz and rock double bassist, and composer (RatDog; Duets), born in San Mateo, California (d. 2016)
• 1952 Tirso Cruz III, Filipino actor and singer, born in Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines
• 1953 Aftab Baloch, Pakistan cricket batsman (2 Tests; 7th player to pass the 400 first class run milestone, 428 for Sind 1974), born in Karachi, Pakistan
• 1953 Alberto Zaccheroni, Italian soccer manager (AC Milan, Lazio, Internazionale, Torino, Juventus, UAE, Japan), born in Meldola, Italy
• 1953 Barry Sonnenfeld, director (Get Shorty, Men in Black), born in NYC, New York
• 1953 Pavol Biroš, Slovak soccer defender (9 caps, Czechoslovakia; Slavia Prague), born in Prešov, Slovakia (d. 2020)
• 1954 Giancarlo Antognoni, Italian soccer midfielder (73 caps; Fiorentina 341 games), born in Marsciano, Italy
• 1954 Jeff Porcaro, American drummer (Toto - "Rosanna"; "Africa"), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1992)
• 1954 Susumu Hirasawa, Japanese electropop musician, born in Nakagawa, Adachi, Tokyo
• 1955 Dan Pohl, American golfer (US Masters 1982 runner-up; 2 PGA Tour titles), born in Mt Pleasant, Michigan

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• Year of the Rat
  2020
• Year of the Ox
  2021
• Year of the Tiger
  2022
• Year of the Rabbit
  2023
• Year of the Dragon
  2024
• Year of the Snake
  2025