Famous Birthdays on November 18

Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826)

German pianist, romantic composer (Der Freischutz; Oberon), and lithographer, born in Eutin, Bishopric of Lübeck, Holy Roman Empire (now Germany)

1786 Henry Bishop, British composer and conductor, born in London (d. 1855)

Louis-Jacques Daguerre (1787-1851)

French inventor and photographer (daguerreotype), born in Cormeilles-en-Parisis, France

Sojourner Truth (1797-1883)

African-American abolitionist and feminist, born in Swartekill, New York [birth date is approximate]

1803 Cornelis Broere, Dutch Roman Catholic priest and poet, born in Amsterdam (d. 1860)
1804 Alfonso Ferrero la Marmora, Italian general and statesman (6th Prime Minister of Italy, 1864-66), born in Turin, French Empire (d. 1878)
1808 Antoine-Amable-Elie Elwart, French composer, born in Paris (d. 1877)
1810 Asa Gray, American botanist (Flora of North America), born in Sauquoit, New York (d. 1888)
1810 Benjamin Stone Roberts, American Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in Manchester, Vermont (d. 1875)
1812 Jesse J. Finley, American Brigadier General (Confederate Army), born in Lebanon, Tennessee (d. 1904)
1824 Franz Sigel, German teacher, newspaperman, politician and Major General (Union Army), born in Sinsheim, Baden, Germany (d. 1902)
1824 Isham Nicholas Hayne, American lawyer, politician, and Brigadier General (Union Army), born in Dover, Tennessee (d. 1868)
1832 Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld, Finnish-Swedish explorer and mineralogist (Vega Expedition), born in Helsinki, Finland (d. 1901)
1835 Americus Vespucius Rice, American politician, banker, and Brigadier General (Union Army), born in Perrysville, Ohio (d. 1904)

W. S. Gilbert (1836-1911)

English dramatist, poet librettist remembered for his comic operas with Arthur Sullivan (The Pirates of Penzance; H.M.S. Pinafore; The Mikdao), born in London

1839 August Kundt, German physicist (sound vibration, test of Kundt), born in Schwerin, Mecklenburg, Germany (d. 1894)
1845 John Mellaerts, Flemish social worker (1st Belgian farm gilde) (d. 1925)
1846 Prince Louis of Liechtenstein, Liechtenstein nobleman and politician, born in Prague (d. 1920)
1856 Nicholas Nikolaevich Romanov, Grand Duke of Russia and general in World War I (1914-18), born in St. Petersburg, Russian Empire (d. 1929)

Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941)

Polish pianist, composer and statesman (Prime Minister of Poland, 1919), born in Kuryłówka, Russian Empire (now Ukraine)

1861 Dorothy Dix [Elizabeth Meriwether Gilmer], American journalist and columnist, born in Woodstock, Tennessee (d. 1951)
1863 Richard Dehmel, German poet and writer, born in Hermsdorf, Brandenburg, Prussia (d. 1920)
1871 Amadeo Vives, Spanish composer, born in Collbató, Spain (d. 1932)
1872 Margaret Seddon, American stage and screen actress (Mr. Deeds Goes to Town), born in Washington, DC (d. 1968)
1874 Carrie White, oldest US woman (dies Nov 1990 at 116), born in Havana, Florida (d. 1991)
1874 Clarence Day, American author (Life with Father), born in NYC, New York (d. 1935)
1874 Riccardo Martin, American tenor and composer, born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky (d. 1952)
1877 Arthur Cecil Pigou, English economist (Economics of Welfare), born in Ryde, Isle of Wight, England (d. 1959)
1881 Percy LeSueur, Canadian hockey player and inventor (large goalie glove), born in Quebec City, Quebec (d. 1962)
1882 Amelita Galli-Curci, Italian-American operatic soprano (Cave of the Winds), born in Milan, Italy (d. 1963)
1882 Jacques Maritain, French Catholic philosopher (exponent of St Thomas), born in Paris (d. 1973)
1882 Wyndham Lewis, English author (Tarr, Apes of God) and co-founder of the Vorticist movement in art, born in Amherst, Nova Scotia (d. 1957)
1883 Carl Vinson, American politician (38th Dean of the United States House of Representatives, 1961-65), born in Baldwin County, Georgia (d. 1981)
1888 Frances Marion, American screenwriter and actress (Pollyanna), born in San Francisco, California (d. 1973)
1889 Maria Realino [Frederikus Janssen], teacher (Botany of Curacao) (d. 1977)
1895 Ernst Levy, Swiss composer, born in Basel (d. 1981)
1897 Jules Buffano, American composer and pianist (Jimmy Durante Show), born in St Louis, Missouri (d. 1960)
1897 Patrick Blackett, British physicist (Nobel 1948 - nuclear reaction), born in London (d. 1974)
1898 Erich Sehlbach, German composer, born in Barmen, Germany (d. 1985)
1898 Joris Ivens, Dutch director (A Tale of the Wind, Rain), born in Nijmegen, Netherlands (d. 1989)

Eugene Ormandy (1899-1985)

Hungarian-American violinist and conductor (Philadelphia Orchestra, 1936-80), born in Budapest

1899 Howard Thurman, African-American theologian and author (Deep River, Deep is the Hunger), born in Daytona Beach, Florida (d. 1981)
1900 Constantin Alajalov, Armenian-American illustrator (The New Yorker; Saturday Evening Post; Dithers & Jitters), and painter, born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia (d. 1987)
1900 George Kistiakowsky, Ukrainian-American chemist who helped develop the first atomic bomb (Manhattan Project), but later opposed nuclear weapons, born in Kyiv, Ukraine (d. 1982)

Craig Wood (1901-1968)

American golfer (US Masters, US Open 1941), born in Lake Placid, New York

George Gallup (1901-1984)

American survey sampling pioneer and inventor of the Gallup poll, born in Jefferson, Iowa

1902 Barbara Giuranna, Italian pianist and composer, born in Palermo, Italy (d. 1998)
1902 Jorgen Nielsen, Danish author (regional novels) (d. 1945)
1903 Lillian Fuchs, American violist and composer, born in New York (d. 1995)
1904 Guido Santórsola, Brazilian-Uruguayan composer and violinist, born in Canosa di Puglia, Italy (d. 1994)
1904 Jean Paul Lemieux, Canadian painter, born in Quebec (d. 1990)

Alec Issigonis (1906-1988)

Greek-British automotive designer who designed the Mini, born in Smyrna, Ottoman Empire

George Wald (1906-1997)

American physiologist and biologist (Nobel Prize 1967, vitamin A in retina), born in NYC, New York

1906 Klaus Mann, German-American author (Mephisto), born in Munich (d. 1949)
1907 Compay Segundo [Máximo Muñoz-Telles], Cuban trova guitarist, singer, and composer (Buena Vista Social Club), born in Siboney, Cuba (d. 2003)
1907 Halldis Moren Vesaas, Norwegian author and poet (Harp and Dagger), born in Trysil, Norway (d. 1995)
1908 Imogene Coca, American comedienne (Your Show of Shows, Grindl), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2001)

Johnny Mercer (1909-1976)

American lyricist ("Moon River"; "That Old Black Magic"; "Come Rain Or Come Shine"), born in Savannah, Georgia

1910 Friedrich Weinreb, Polish economist and narrative author, born in Lemberg, Galicia, Austria-Hungary (d. 1988)
1911 Attilio Bertolucci, Italian poet and writer, born in San Lazzaro Parmense, Italy (d. 2000)
1912 Arthur Peterson, American actor (Soap, Mission: Impossible, Crisis), born in Mandan, North Dakota (d. 1996)
1912 Jaap Meijer, Dutch historian and rabbi in Paramaribo, born in Winschoten, Netherlands (d. 1993)
1914 Leif Solberg, Norwegian organist, choral conductor and composer, born in Lena, Norway (d. 2016)
1915 Ken Burkhart, American baseball player (St. Louis Cardinals) and umpire, born in Knoxville, Tennessee (d. 2004)
1916 James L. Lyons, American jazz promoter (founder of the Monterey Jazz Festival) (d. 1994)
1918 Tasker Watkins, Welsh World War II hero, born in Nelson, Wales (d. 2007)
1919 Jocelyn Brando, American actress (The Big Heat, Ugly American, China Venture), born in San Francisco, California (d. 2005)
1920 Bill Bedford, British test pilot (pioneered the development of V/STOL aircraft), born in Loughborough, England (d. 1996)
1920 Louis Alfred Mennini, American composer, born in Erie, Pennsylvania (d. 2000)
1920 Mustafa Khalil, 40th Prime Minister of Egypt (1978-80), born in Al Qalyubiyah Governorate, Egypt (d. 2008)
1922 Al Dvorin, American Elvis Presley concert announcer, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2004)
1922 Luis Somoza Debayle, President of Nicaragua (1956-63), born in León, Nicaragua (d. 1967)
1922 Marjorie Gestring, American springboard diver (Olympic gold 1936) (d. 1992)
1922 Viktor Afanasyev, Soviet politician and editor (Pravda), born in Aktamysh, Tatar A.S.S.R., Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic (d. 1994)

Alan Shepard (1923-1998)

American astronaut and 1st American in space, born in Derry, New Hampshire

1923 Ted Stevens, American politician (U.S. Senator from Alaska, 1968-2009), born in Indianapolis, Indiana (d. 2010)
1924 Alexander Mackenzie Stuart, Baron Mackenzie-Stuart, Scottish jurist, born in Aberdeen, Scotland (d. 2000)
1925 Alex Macintosh, British BBC presenter and actor (Hell Fight), born in Fulham, London (d. 1997)
1925 William Mayer, American composer (A Death in the Family; Brief Candle; Octagon), born in Manhattan, New York (d. 2017)
1925 Yvonne Bryceland, South African stage actress (Road to Mecca), born in Cape Town, South Africa (d. 1992)
1926 Dorothy Collins [Marjorie Chandler], Canadian-American singer and actress (Your Hit Parade), born in Windsor, Ontario (d. 1994)
1926 Estanislao Basora, Spanish footballer (The Monster of Colombes, 22 caps for Spain, 301 matches for Barcelona), born in Barcelona, Catalonia (d. 2012)
1926 Kim Besly, Peace activist (Greenham Common) (d. 1996)
1927 Eldar Ryazanov, Russian film director and screenwriter (A Cruel Romance), born in Kuybyshev, USSR (d. 2015)
1927 Hank Ballard [John Henry Kendricks], American rocker (The Midnighters - "The Twist" - pre-Chubber Checker), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2003)
1927 Lawrence Moss, American composer, born in Los Angeles, California
1928 Mickey Mouse, Disney cartoon strip character
1928 Otar Gordeli, Georgian composer, born in Tbilisi, Georgia (d. 1994)
1928 Salvador Laurel, Filipino lawyer and politician (Vice President of the Philippines, 1986-92), born in Paco, Manila, Insular Government of the Philippine Islands (d. 2004)
1929 Francisco Savín, Mexican conductor and composer (Quasar I), born in Mexico City (d. 2018)
1929 William J. "Pete" Knight, American astronaut and test pilot (X-15), born in Noblesville, Indiana (d. 2004)
1930 Sonja Edström-Ruthström, Swedish cross-country skier (Olympic gold 3 × 5k relay 1960), born in Luleå, Sweden (d. 2020)
1934 Vassilis Vassilikos, Greek writer (Z) and diplomat, born in Kavala, Greece
1935 Pervis Staples, American gospel vocalist (The Staple Singers -"Uncloudy Day"), born in Drew, Mississippi (d. 2021)
1935 Rodney Hall, Australian author
1935 Rudolf Bahro, German dissident (d. 1997)
1936 Don Cherry, American jazz trumpeter (Ornette Coleman), born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (d. 1995)
1938 Karl Schranz, Austrian slalom (Olympic-1968)
1939 Brenda Vaccaro, American actress (Cactus Flower, Sara, Paper Dolls), born in Brooklyn, New York
1939 John Cheek, Falkland Islands advocate
1939 John O'Keefe, American-English neuroscientist (2014 Nobel Prize for Physiology for discovery of place cells), born in New York City

Margaret Atwood (83 years old)

1939 Canadian author (The Handmaiden's Tale) poet, activist and inventor, born in Ottawa, Ontario

1939 Tom Johnson, American composer (Nine Bells), born in Greeley, Colorado
1940 Qaboos bin Said al Said, Omani politician and Sultan of Oman (1970-present), born in Salalah, Oman
1941 Conleth "Con" Cluskey, Irish pop vocalist (The Bachelors - "Diane"; "I Wouldn't Trade You For The World"), born in Dublin, Ireland
1941 David Hemmings, English actor (Blow-up, Barbarella) and co-founder of Hemdale Film Corporation, born in Guildford, England (d. 2003)
1941 Peter Pocklington, Canadian NHL team owner (Edmonton Oiler), born in Regina, Saskatchewan
1941 Ronnie Lamont, Irish rugby union #8, flanker (12 Tests Ireland; 4 Tests British & Irish Lions), born in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland (d. 2022)
1942 Jeffrey Siegel, American pianist (Chicago Symphony), born in Chicago, Illinois

Linda Evans (80 years old)

1942 American actress (Dynasty, Big Valley, Beach Blanket Bingo), born in Hartford, Connecticut

1942 Susan Sullivan, American actress (Dharma & Greg, Falcon Crest), born in NYC, New York
1945 (Percy) Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lankan politician (Prime Minister, 2018-2022; President, 2005-15}, born in Weeraketiya, British Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)
1945 Glen Walken, American actor (Leave it to Larry), born in Queens, New York City
1945 Wilma Mankiller, Native American activist, 1st woman chief of the Cherokee Nation, born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma (d. 2010)
1946 Alan Dean Foster, American sci-fi author (Midworld, Flinx in Flux)
1946 Amanda Lear, French singer (or 1939, possible date only)
1946 Chris Rainbow [Harley], Scottish rock singer, musician and producer (Alan Parsons Project), born in Glasgow, Scotland (d. 2015)
1947 Jameson Parker, actor (American Justice, Simon & Simon), born in Baltimore, Maryland
1947 Michael Carabello, American percussionist and songwriter (Santana, 1968-71), born in San Francisco, California
1948 Andrea Marcovicci, American actress (Berrengers - "Gloria"; Trapper John, M.D. - "Fran"), born in NYC, New York
1948 Jack Tatum, American NFL defensive back, 1971-80 (Oakland Raiders, Houston Oilers), born in Cherryville, North Carolina (d. 2010)
1948 Ural Nazibovich Sultanov, Russian cosmonaut
1949 Bonnie St. Claire [Bonje Cornelia Swart], Dutch singer ("Tame Me Tiger"; "I Won't Stand Between Them"), born in Rozenburg, Netherlands
1949 Herman Rarebell [Hermann Erbel], German rock drummer and lyricist (Scorpions - "Rock You Like A Hurricane"), born in Schmelz, West Germany
1949 Ted Sator, NHL coach (NY Rangers, Buffalo Sabres), born in Utica, New York
1950 Eric Pierpoint, American actor
1950 Graham Parker, British singer-songwriter (Squeezing Out Sparks - "Local Girls"; "Mercury Poisoning"), born in Hackney, London, England
1950 Rudy Sarzo, Cuban-American bass guitarist (Quiet Riot; Ozzy Osbourne), born in Havana, Cuba
1951 Heinrich Schiff, Austrian cellist and conductor, born in Gmunden, Austria (d. 2016)
1951 Justin Raimondo, American author (Antiwar.com), born in White Plains, New York
1951 Mark N Brown, Valparaiso In, Major USAF/astronaut (STS 28, 48, 66)
1952 Delroy Lindo, actor (Get Shorty, Ransom)
1952 John Parr, British pop singer ("St. Elmo's Fire"), and songwriter (Roger Daltry - "Under A Raging Moon"), born in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England
1952 Paul McNaughton, Irish sportsman (16 caps Ireland Rugby, Leinster RC; Shelbourne FC, Bray Wanderers AFC; Wicklow GAA; only person to play 3 sports in Ireland's national stadiums), born in Bray, Ireland (d. 2022)
1952 Peter Beattie, Australian politician
1953 Alan Moore, British comic book writer and novelist (Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Swamp Thing), born in Northampton, England
1953 Alan Murphy, British rock session guitarist (Kate Bush), born in Islington, London, England (d. 1989)
1953 Kevin Nealon, American actor (SNL, Hot Shot, Coneheads), born in Bridgeport, Connecticut
1954 Carter Burwell, American film composer (Coen Brothers films, Twilight Saga), born in New York City
1954 Evan Gray, New Zealand cricketer
1955 Jake Brockman, British musician (Echo and the Bunnymen), born in Borneo (d. 2009)
1956 Laura Lynch, American bluegrass and country musician and songwriter (Dixie Chicks, 1989-95), born in El Paso, Texas
1956 Noel Brotherston, Irish soccer winger (27 caps Northern Ireland; Blackburn Rovers 317 games), born in Dundonald, Northern Ireland (d. 1995)
1956 Tony Franklin, American football kicker (Pro Bowl, NFL scoring leader 1986; New England Patriots), born in Big Spring, Texas
1956 Warren Moon, NFL quarterback (Houston Oilers, Seahawks, Vikings)
1957 J.C. Watts (Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 4th district, in office Jan 3, 1995 - Jan 3, 2003
1957 Jenny Burton, American R&B singer ("Nobody Loves Me Like You Do": "Bad Habits"), born in NYC, New York
1957 Seán Mac Falls, Irish-born poet
1958 Oscar Nunez, Cuban American actor
1959 Cindy Blackman Santana, American jazz and rock session and touring drummer (Lenny Kravitz; Santana), born in Yellow Springs, Ohio
1959 Jimmy Quinn, Irish soccer striker (46 caps, Northern Ireland; Reading) and manager (Reading, Swindon, Cambridge, Bournemouth), born in Belfast, Northern Ireland
1960 Elizabeth Perkins, American actress (About Last Night, Big), born in Queens, New York
1960 Kim Wilde, English pop singer ("Kids in America"; "You Keep Me Hanging On"), born in London
1961 Gunnar Idenstam, Swedish concert organist, arranger, and composer, born in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden
1961 Gwen Knapp, American sports journalist (Philadelphia Inquirer, SF Examiner, SF Chronicle, New York Times), born in Wilmington, Delaware (d. 2023)
1961 Janice Lynn Kuehnemund, American rock guitarist (Vixen - "Edge of a Broken Heart"), born in Saint Paul, Minnesota (d. 2013)
1961 Steven Moffat, Scottish TV writer and producer (Doctor Who, Sherlock), born in Paisley, Scotland
1962 Jamie Moyer, Sellersville PA, pitcher (Boston Red Sox)

Kirk Hammett (60 years old)

1962 American heavy-metal guitarist (Metallica - Master of Puppets; "Enter Sandman"), born in San Francisco, California

1962 Vladimir Vladimirovich Karashtin, Russian cosmonaut
1963 Dante Bichette, outfielder (Colorado Rockies), born in West Palm Beach, Florida
1963 Len Bias, American basketball player (Boston Celtics pick for 1986 draft), born in Landover, Maryland (d. 1986)
1963 Peter Schmeichel, Danish footballer
1964 Seth Joyner, American football linebacker (Super Bowl 1998 Denver Broncos; First-team All-Pro 1991, 93; Pro Bowl 1991, 93, 94; Philadelphia Eagles), born in Spring Valley, New York
1965 Mark Petkovsek, pitcher (St Louis Cardinals), born in Beaumont, Texas
1966 Darren Flutie, American CFL wide receiver (Grey Cup 1994, 99; CFL All-Star 1996, 97, 99; Edmonton Eskimos, Hamilton Tiger-Cats), born in Manchester, Maryland
1966 Jorge Camacho, Spanish poet
1966 Ron Coomer, Crest Hill IL, infielder (Minnesota Twins)
1967 Jocelyn Lemieux, Mont Laurier, NHL right wing (Calgary Flames)
1967 Tom Gordon, Sebring FL, pitcher (Boston Red Sox)
1968 Barry Hunter, Irish soccer defender (14 caps Northern Ireland; Wrexham, Reading) and manager (Rushden & Diamonds), born in Coleraine, Northern Ireland
1968 Gary Sheffield, outfielder (Florida Marlins), born in Tampa, Florida
1968 Mel Stewart, American swimmer (Olympic gold 1992), born in Gastonia, North Carolina
1968 Milica Vukadinovic, WNBA guard (Charlotte Sting)

Owen Wilson (54 years old)

1968 American actor (Meet the Parents, Zoolander), born in Dallas, Texas

1968 Romany Malco, American actor (Weeds, No Ordinary Family), rapper and music producer (College Boyz - "Victim of the Ghetto"), born in Brooklyn, New York
1969 Ahmed Helmy, Egyptian actor (Aboud Ala El Hodoud), born in Banha, Egypt
1969 Duncan Sheik, American singer-songwriter ("Barely Breathing"), born in Monclair, New Jersey
1969 Lee Anne Ketcham, female pitcher (Silver Bullets), born in Tallahassee, Florida
1969 Raghib Ismail, American NFL wide receiver/kick returner (Oakland Raiders), born in Elizabeth, New Jersey
1969 Sam Cassell, American NBA guard (NJ Nets, Houston Rockets), born in Baltimore, Maryland
1970 Allen Watson, American baseball pitcher (SF Giants), born in Brooklyn, New York
1970 Elizabeth Anne Allen, American actress
1970 Johan Liiva, Sweden heavy metal vocalist (Arch Enemy; Hearse), born in Helsingborg, Sweden
1970 Megyn Kelly, American television news anchor and journalist (Fox News, NBC), born in Champaign, Illinois
1970 Mike Epps, American actor
1970 Peter Dutton, Australian politician, Minister for Home Affairs (2017-18), born in Brisbane, Australia
1970 Phil Buckman, actor (Slash-Drexell's Class), born in Queens, New York