Famous Birthdays on February 21

1783 Princess Catharina of Württemberg, Queen consort of Westphalia (d. 1835)
1785 Karl August Varnhagen von Ense, German biographer, diplomat and soldier (Die Sterner), born in Düsseldorf (d. 1858)

Santa Anna (1794-1876)

President of Mexico who dominated Mexican history in the first half of the 19th century, born in Xalapa, Veracruz

1795 Francisco Manuel da Silva, Brazilian composer, born in Rio de Janeiro (d. 1865)
1800 John Henry Winder, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Somerset County, Maryland (d. 1865)
1801 Johann Wenzel Kalliwoda [Jan Kalivoda], Bohemian violinist, composer, and court conductor, born in Prague, Bohemia (now Czech Republic) (d. 1866)
1801 John Henry Newman, British thologian (Tract 90), educator, poet (Dream of Gerontius), Anglican priest, Catholic priest, cardinal and saint, born in London, England (d. 1890)
1802 George Douglas Ramsay, American Brevet Major general (Union Army), born in Dumfries, Virginia (d. 1882)
1805 David Tod, US diplomat and politician (Gov-R-Ohio, 1861-63), born in Youngstown, Ohio (d. 1868)
1814 Nicolo Gabrielli, Italian opera composer, born in Naples, Kingdom of Naples (now Italy) (d. 1891)
1815 Ernest Meissonier, French painter and sculptor (depictions of Napoleon), born in Lyon, France (d. 1891)
1817 Jose Zorrilla, Spanish poet and dramatist (El rey Loco), born in Valladolid, Spain (d. 1893)
1821 Charles Scribner, American magazine and book publisher, born in New York City (d. 1871)
1829 Johnson Hagood, American politician (Governor of South Carolina 1880-82) and Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Barnwell, South Carolina (d. 1898)
1831 Eduard Rappoldi, Austrian composer and violinist, born in Vienna (d. 1903)
1836 (Clement) Léo Delibes, French romantic composer (Coppélia; Sylvia; Le roi l'a dit; Lakmé), born in Saint-Germain-du-Val, France (d. 1891)
1844 Charles-Marie Widor, French organist (Saint-Sulpice, 1870-1933), composer (10 organ symphonies), and professor (American Conservatory at Fontainebleau, 1921-34), born in Lyon, France (d. 1937)
1852 Burner Matthews, American academic and critic who established study of theatre (NY Times), born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 1929)
1855 Alice Freeman Palmer, American educator (President of Wesley College), born in Colesville, New York (d. 1902)
1856 Hendrik Petrus Berlage, Dutch architect (Stock exchange Amsterdam), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1934)
1857 Jules de Trooz, Belgium politician and Prime Minister of Belgium (1907), born in Leuven, Belgium (d. 1907)
1860 Goscombe John, Welsh sculptor (d. 1952)
1860 Karel Matěj Čapek-Chod, Czech journalist (d. 1927)
1861 Pierre de Bréville, French composer, author and professor (Une histoire du théâtre lyrique en France), born in Bar-le-Duc, Meuse (d. 1949)
1865 John Haden Badley, English school founder (d. 1967)
1867 Otto Hermann Kahn, German-American banker and patron of the arts, organized Metropolitan Opera Company, born in Mannheim, Germany (d. 1934)
1875 Jeanne Louise Calment, French world's oldest woman (d. 1997 at 122)
1876 Pyotr Konchalovsky, Russian painter (d. 1956)
1877 Totius [Jacob D. du Toit], South African poet and theologist, born in Paarl, Cape Colony (d. 1953)
1878 Fritz Cortolezis, German conductor, opera director, and composer, born in Passau, Bavaria, Germany (d. 1934)
1878 Mirra Richard [The Mother], French-born Indian spiritual leader (Sri Aurobindo), born in Paris, France (d. 1973)
1880 Frank Orth, American actor (Boston Blackie, Brothers), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1962)
1880 Waldemar Bonsels, German writer (d. 1952)
1883 Mick Commaille, South African cricketer and soccer rep, born in Cape Town, South Africa (d. 1956)
1885 Sacha Guitry, French actor and playwright (Deburan, The Story of a Cheat), born in St. Petersburg, Russian Empire (d. 1957)
1886 Herbert J. Krapp, American theatre architect and designer responsible for almost half of current Broadway venues, born in New York City (d. 1973)
1887 Savielly Tartakower, Austrian-Polish-French chess player, born in Rostov-on-Don, Russian Empire (d. 1956)
1888 Clemence Dane [Winifred Ashton], British novelist and playwright (A Bill of Divorcement), born in Blackheath, England (d. 1965)
1888 Willem Banning, Dutch theologist and sociologist (Religious Build Up), born in Makkum, Netherlands (d. 1971)
1889 Felix Aylmer, British actor (Anastasia, Hamlet, Iron Duke, Macbeth, St Joan), born in Corsham, Wiltshire, England (d. 1979)
1893 Andres Segovia, Spanish classical guitarist, born in Linares, Spain (d. 1987)
1893 Vsevolod Pudovkin, Soviet film director and theorist (Mother, Deserter), born in Penza, Russia (d. 1953)
1895 Henrik Dam, Danish biochemist, (1943 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for discovery of vitamin K), born in Copenhagen, Denmark (d. 1976)
1896 Sylvain Poons, Dutch stage actor and singer (Blue Jackets), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1985)
1897 Celia Lovsky, Austrian-American actress (Soylent Green, T'Pau-Star Trek), born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary (d. 1979)
1898 Vasily Vainonen, Russian ballet dancer and choreographer (Gayaneh), born in Saint Petersburg, Russia (d. 1964)
1900 Madeleine Renaud, French actress and theater director (Plaisir), born in Paris, Ile-de-France (d. 1994)
1900 Sydney Arnold, British comic actor (The Meaning of Life, Top Secret!, Miss Jones & Son), born in Westminster, London, England (d. 1993)
1902 Arthur Nock, English-American historian (St Paul, history of religion), born in Portsmouth, England (d. 1963)
1902 Bob Scholte, Dutch vocalist, born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1983)
1903 Anaïs Nin, French-Cuban writer (Delta of Venus), born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France (d. 1977)
1903 Eric Fogg, English composer, born in Manchester, England (d. 1939)
1903 Fairfax M. Cone, American advertising executive (d. 1977)
1903 Raymond Queneau [M Presle], French author (Un Enfant a Dit), born in La Havre, France (d. 1976)
1903 Tom Yawkey, American Baseball HOF executive (owner Boston Red Sox 1933-76), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 1976)
1904 Armand Preud'homme, Belgian organist and composer (Kempenland), born in Peer, Belgium (d. 1986)
1907 W. H. Auden [Wystan Hugh Auden}, British-American poet (Age of Anxiety Pulitzer Prize 1948), born in York, England (d. 1973)
1908 Neville Quinn, South African cricket fast bowler (12 Tests, 35 wickets), born in Tweefontein, South Africa (d. 1934)
1909 George van Renesse, Dutch pianist and music director, born in Zaamslag, Netherlands (d. 1994)
1909 Hans Erni, Swiss painter and sculptor, born in Lucerne, Switzerland (d. 2015)
1909 Helen Octavia Dickens, American physician and gynaecologist (1st black women admitted to US College of Surgeons), born in Dayton, Ohio (d. 2001)
1910 Al Sears, American jazz and R&B saxophonist (Duke Elllington Orchestra; Johnny Hodges - "Castle Rock"), born in Macomb, Illinois (d. 1990)
1910 Carmine Galante, Italian-born gangster (d. 1979)
1910 Douglas Bader, British pilot and WWII flying ace during WWII, born in London, England (d. 1982)
1910 Eddie Waring, British sports commentator (d. 1986)
1912 Arline Judge, American actress (Girls in Chains, Mad Wednesday, Age of Consent), born in Bridgeport, Connecticut (d. 1974)
1912 Nikita Magaloff, Georgian-Russian pianist (1st to record Chopin's complete works, Arkadia 598-Schubert), born in St Petersburg, Russia (d. 1992)
1913 Glenn M. Anderson, American politician (Rep-D-CA, 1969-93), born in Hawthorne, California (d. 1994)
1913 Roger Laurent, Belgian racing driver (d. 1997)
1914 Arnold Denker, American chess champion (1944-46), born in New York City (d. 2005)
1915 Ann Sheridan, American actress (They Drive by Night, Dodge City, Another World), born in Denton, Texas (d. 1967)
1915 Godfrey Brown, British athlete, 4 X 400m runner (Olympic gold 1936), born in Bankura, India (d. 1995)
1917 Lucille Bremer, American actress and dancer (Meet Me In St. Louis; Ziegfeld Follies), born in Amsterdam, New York (d. 1996)
1917 Tadd Dameron, American jazz pianist, composer ("If You Could See Me Now"; "Lady Bird"), arranger (Count Basie, Jimmie Lunceford, Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Eckstine) and bandleader, born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 1965)
1917 Victor Marijnen, Dutch politician (Prime Minister of the Netherlands 1963-65), born in Arnhem, Netherlands (d. 1975)
1922 Uroš Krek, Slovenian composer, born in Ljubljana (d. 2008)
1923 Zvi Zeitlin, Russian-American classical violinist and music professor (Eastman School, 1967-2012), born in Dubroŭna, Russia (now Belarus) (d. 2012)

Robert Mugabe (1924-2019)

Zimbabwean revolutionary, Prime Minister of Zimbabwe (1980-87) and 1st black President of Zimbabwe (1988-2017), born in Harare, Zimbabwe

1925 Al Fann, American actor (Alvin-He's the Mayor), born in Cleveland, Ohio
1925 Jack Ramsay, American Hall of Fame basketball coach (Portland Trail Blazers, 1977 NBA Champions), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2014)
1925 Sam Peckinpah, American film director (The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs), born in Fresno, California (d. 1984)
1926 Hans Andreus [Johan W van der Zant], Dutch poet (Animal Language)
1927 Erma Bombeck, American humorist (The Grass is Always Greener over the Septic Tank), born in Dayton, Ohio (d. 1996)

Hubert de Givenchy (1927-2018)

French fashion designer (Audrey Hepburn's LBD) & founder of Givenchy (1952), born in Beauvais, France

1927 Pierre Mercure, Canadian composer (Kaléidoscope), born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 1966)
1928 Philip von Schantz, Swedish painter, born in Norrköping, Sweden (d. 1998)
1929 Henry Kloss, American audio engineer (acoustic loudspeaker), born in Altoona, Pennsylvania (d. 2002)
1929 James Beck, British actor (Dad's Army), born in Islington, London (d. 1973)
1930 Elizabeth Adams, American Beverly Hills madame and mentor to Heidi Fleiss, born in Manila, Philippines (d. 1995) [1]
1932 Leon Black, American college basketball coach (Texas Longhorns men's team 1967-76), born in Martins Mill, Texas (d. 2021)
1933 Bob Rafelson, American Emmy Award-winning television producer (The Monkees), and film maker (Five Easy Pieces; Easy Rider; Head), born in New York City(d. 2022)

American jazz pianist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and civil rights activist (“Mississippi Goddam”; “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black”, “Feeling Good”; “Wild Is The Wind”), born in Tyron, North Carolina

1934 Gordon Forbes, South African tennis player and author (French Open mixed doubles [Darlene Hard] 1955), born in Burgersdorp, South Africa (d. 2020)
1934 Rue McClanahan, American actress (Maude, Golden Girls), born in Healdton, Oklahoma (d. 2010)
1935 Jean Pelletier, French Canadian political operative
1935 Mark McManus, Scottish actor (Taggart, Nightstick, 2000 Weeks, 12th Night), born in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
1936 Barbara Jordan, American politician (Rep-D-Tx, 1972-78), born in Houston, Texas
1937 Gary Lockwood, American actor (2001, Survival Zone, Lieutenant), born in Van Nuys, California
1937 Harald V, King of Norway (1991-present), born in Akershus, Norway
1937 Ron Clarke, Australian athlete (17 x WRs, 5,000m, 10,000m, 20,000m; 2, 3, 6, 10 miles) and politician (mayor Gold Coast), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 2015)
1938 Beryl Anthony Jr., American politician (Rep-D-CA, 1979-93), born in El Dorado, Arkansas
1939 Richard Beymer, American stage actor and singer (West Side Story; Diary of Anne Frank), born in Avoca, Iowa
1939 Ron Nagle, American sculptor, and songwriter, born in San Francisco, California
1940 Bruno Bolchi, Italian soccer midfielder (4 caps; Inter, Verona, Atalanta, Torino) and manager (AC Cesena, Bari, Messina, Genoa), born in Milan, Italy (d. 2022)

John Lewis (1940-2020)

American politician (Rep-D-Georgia) and prominent civil rights leader (Big Six), born in Troy, Alabama

1940 Peter Gethin, British racing driver
1940 Peter McEnery, English actor (Game is Over, Moonspinners), born in Walsall, England
1942 Margarethe Von Trotta, German actress and director (Marianne), born in Berlin, Germany
1942 Peter Leonard, Australian journalist and newsreader, born in Yass, New South Wales (d. 2008)
1943 David Geffen, American record producer (Geffen Records; Asylum) and film studio executive (DreamWorks SKG), born in Brooklyn, New York
1943 Duncan Swift, British jazz stride pianist, born in Rotherham, Yorkshire, England (d. 1997)
1943 Roberto Faenza, Italian director (Copkiller, Corrupt), born in Turin, Italy
1944 Herman de Coninck, Flemish writer and poet (Impossible Work)
1944 Kitty Winn, American actress (Beacon Hill), born in Washington, D.C.
1945 Sudhir Naik, Indian cricket batsman (3 Tests, 1 x 50; Bombay), born in Mumbai, India (d. 2023)

Alan Rickman (1946-2016)

English actor (Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Die Hard, Harry Potter), born in Hammersmith, London

1946 Anthony Daniels, British actor and mime artist (Star Wars - "C-3PO"), born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
1946 Bob Ryan, American sportswriter (The Boston Globe), born in Trenton, New Jersey
1946 Desmond Lewis, West Indian cricket batsman/keeper (avg 86.33 in 3 Tests), born in Jamaica (d. 2018)
1946 Tricia Nixon Cox, daughter of American politician Richard Nixon, born in Whittier, California
1946 Tyne Daly, American actress (Cagney & Lacey, Angel Unchained), born in Madison, Wisconsin
1946 Vito Rizzuto, Italian-Canadian alleged mafia boss, also known as "Montreal's Teflon Don", born in Cattolica Eraclea, Sicily, Italy (d. 2013)
1947 Olympia Snowe, American politician (Rep-R-Maine, 1979-95, Senator-R-Maine 1995-2013), born in Augusta, Maine
1947 Victor Sokolov, Russian dissident journalist and priest (d. 2006)
1948 Larry Ragland, American comedian (Keep on Truckin'), born in Richmond, Virginia
1948 Mel James, Welsh rugby league front rower (11 caps Wales; St. Helens RLFC) and rugby union prop (Swansea RFC), born in Resolven, Wales (d. 2022)
1949 Jerry Harrison, American rock keyboardist and guitarist (Talking Heads; solo "Rev It Up"), and record producer (Kenny Wayne Shepherd; Bo-Deans; The String Cheese Incident), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1949 Ronnie Hellström, Swedish soccer goalkeeper (77 caps; Hammarby IF, 1. FC Kaiserslautern; Sweden Player of the Year 1971, 78), born in Malmö, Sweden (d. 2022)
1950 Sahle-Work Zewde, Ethiopian diplomat, President of Ethiopia (2018-), born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
1951 John Parker, New Zealand cricket batsman (36 Tests, 3 x 100s; 24 ODIs; Worcestershire CCC, Northern Districts CA), born in Dannevirke, New Zealand
1951 Vince Welnick, American rock keyboardist (The Tubes - "Talk To Ya Later"; Grateful Dead, 1990-95), born in Phoenix, Arizona (d. 2003)
1952 Jean-Jacques Brunel, French-British rock bassist (Stranglers - "Dreamtime"), born in Notting Hill, London, England
1953 Christine Ebersole, American actress (SNL, Valerie, Tootsie), born in Patk Forest, Illinois
1953 William Petersen, American actor (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), born in Evanston, Illinois
1954 Ivo van Damme, Belgian 800/1500m dash (Olympic silver 1976)

Kelsey Grammer (68 years old)

1955 American actor, comedian, director and activist ("Frasier Crane" in Cheers and Fraiser), born in Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands

1956 Woody Brown, American actor (Cliff-Facts of Life), born in Dayton, Ohio
1958 Alan Trammell, American Baseball HOF shortstop (6 × MLB All-Star; World Series MVP 1984; Detroit Tigers) and manager (Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks), born in Garden Grove, California
1958 Jack Coleman, American actor (Steven Carrington-Dynasty), born in Easton, Pennsylvania
1958 Jake Steinfeld, American exercise expert (Body by Jake), born in Brooklyn, New York
1958 Mary-Chapin Carpenter, American country-pop singer-songwriter ("This Shirt"; "Shut Up And Kiss Me"), born in Princeton, New Jersey
1958 Steve Nieve [Nason], British session and touring keyboard player and composer (Elvis Costello), born in Bishop’s Stortford, England
1959 José María Cano, Spanish pop musician (Mecano, 1982-98 - "Hoy No Me Puedo Levantar"), composer (Luna), and visual artist, born in Madrid, Spain
1960 Steve Wynn, American singer-songwriter (The Dream Syndicate), born in Los Angeles, California
1961 Abhijit Banerjee, American economist, 2019 Nobel Prize for Economics, born in Mumbai, India
1961 Bertha Faye, American wrestler (d. 2001)
1961 Christopher Atkins, American actor (Peter-Dallas, Blue Lagoon), born in Rye, New York
1961 Martha Hackett, American actress (Star Trek:Voyager), born in Boston, Massachusetts
1961 Yobes Ondieki, Kenyan 10K runner (world record)
1962 Chuck Palahniuk, American writer (Fight Club), born in Pasco, Washington
1962 David Foster Wallace, American writer (Infinite Jest, The Broom of the System), born in Ithaca, New York (d. 2008)
1962 Vanessa Feltz, British television presenter (The Big Breakfast), born in London, England
1963 Greg Turner, New Zealand golfer (4 European Tour titles), born in Dunedin, New Zealand
1963 Michael Gostigian, American pentathlete (Olympic 16th-88, 92, 96), born in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania
1963 Ranking Roger [Roger Charlery], British rock vocalist (The Beat; General Public), born in Birmingham, England (d. 2019)
1963 William Baldwin, American actor (Backdraft, Sliver, Flatliners), born in Massapequa, New York
1964 Huw Higginson, British actor, born in Uxbridge, United Kingdom
1964 Jane Tomlinson, British cancer campaigner, born in Wakefield, United Kingdom (d. 2007)
1964 Mark Kelly, American astronaut, Navy captain and politician (Senator-R-Arizona 2020-), born in Orange, New Jersey

Scott Kelly (59 years old)

1964 American astronaut, born in Orange, New Jersey

1965 Keith Arthurton, West Indian cricketer (Charlestown, Nevis WI lefty batsman), born in Nevis, Saint Kitts and Nevis
1966 Bronwen Booth, English actress (Andy-One Life to Live, Eternal Evil), born in London, England
1966 Chris Donnels, American baseball infielder (Houston Astros), born in Angeles, California
1966 Edie Boyer, American discus thrower, born in Saint Paul, Minnesota
1966 Wendy James, English vocalist (Transvision Vamp - "Velveteen"), born in London, England
1967 Michael Ward, American rock guitarist (John Hiatt, 1993-94; The Wallflowers, 1996-2001 - "One Headlight"; Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, 2007-16), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
1967 Patrick Lodewijks, Dutch soccer player (PSV, FC Groningen), born in Eindhoven, Netherlands
1968 Pellom McDaniels, American professor & NFL defensive lineman (KC Chiefs), born in San Jose, California
1968 Terry Allen, American NFL running back (Minnesota Vikings, Wash Redskins), born in Commerce, Georgia
1969 Aunjanue Ellis, American actress (When They See Us), born in San Francisco, California
1969 Corey Harris, American blues and reggae guitarist (The Blues miniseries; From Mississippi to Mali), born in Denver, Colorado
1969 Eric Wilson, American bassist and songwriter (Sublime, 1988-96), born in Long Beach, California
1969 J. D. Gibbs, American auto racer, team owner (Joe Gibbs Rcaing), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2019)
1969 James Dean Bradfield, Welsh singer-songwriter (Manic Street Preachers), born in Pontypool, Wales
1969 Petra Kronberger, Austrian alpine skier (Olympic gold 1992), born in Pfarrwerfen, Austria
1969 Tony Meola, American footballer, born in Belleville, New Jersey
1970 Javier De La Hoya, Mexican-American baseball pitcher (Florida Marlins), born in Durango, Mexico
1970 Marc Woodard, American NFL linebacker (Philadelphia Eagles), born in Kosciusko, Mississippi
1970 Michael Slater, Australian cricket batsman (74 Tests, 14 x 100, HS 219; NSW CA, Derbyshire CCC) and broadcaster (9 Network, 7 Network), born in Wagga Wagga, Australia
1971 Arco Jochemsen, Dutch soccer player (SVDB, Vitesse), born in Barneveld, the Netherlands
1971 Jose Solano, American actor (Baywatch), born in Inglewood, California
1971 Randy Blythe, American heavy metal singer (Lamb of God), born in Richmond, Virginia
1972 Christian Howes, American jazz violinist (Out Of The Blue), born in Rocky River, Ohio
1972 Seo Taiji [Jeong Hyeon-Cheol], Korean rock-pop and hip-hop musician, singer, and songwriter, born in Seoul, South Korea