Famous people and celebrities born in 1914

We celebrate the remarkable individuals born in 1914. This year gave rise to a new generation of talent, including actors, musicians, athletes, politicians and more who have significantly impacted our world. Dive into the stories of these famous personalities, explore their journeys, and see how they've shaped culture and society since their birth year. Join us as we take a nostalgic trip back to 1914 and honor the stars who continue to shine brightly today.

  • George Reeves
    Jan. 5 George Reeves

    George Reeves was an American actor best known for portraying Superman in the television program 'Adventures of Superman' in the 1950s. He also appeared in films such as 'Gone with the Wind' and had a career in both film and television. [bio]

  • Danny Thomas
    Jan. 6 Danny Thomas

    Danny Thomas was an American comedian, actor, singer, and philanthropist, best known for creating and starring in the television sitcom 'Make Room for Daddy' (later retitled 'The Danny Thomas Show'). He was a prominent figure in entertainment during the mid-20th century and is also recognized as the founder of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. [bio]

  • John Ireland
    Jan. 30 John Ireland

    John Ireland was a Canadian-American actor and film director, best known for his roles in classic films such as 'All the King's Men' and 'Spartacus.' He was notably the first Vancouver-born actor to receive an Oscar nomination. [bio]

  • William Burroughs
    Feb. 5 William Burroughs

    William S. Burroughs was an influential American writer and visual artist, widely recognized as a major figure of the Beat Generation. He is best known for his subversive novels that explore themes of addiction, sexuality, and social control, particularly his seminal work 'Naked Lunch'. Burroughs' style and subject matter have had a significant impact on literature, pop culture, and the … [bio]

  • Gypsy Rose Lee
    Feb. 9 Gypsy Rose Lee

    Gypsy Rose Lee was an American burlesque entertainer, actress, author, and playwright, best known for her innovation in the striptease act and her witty, sophisticated stage presence. She became one of the most famous burlesque performers of her era and was also the inspiration for the Broadway musical and film 'Gypsy.' [bio]

  • Ernest Tubb
    Feb. 9 Ernest Tubb

    Ernest Tubb was a pioneering American country music singer and songwriter, widely regarded as one of the founders of honky tonk music. He is best known for his hit single 'Walking the Floor Over You,' which helped make country music a national phenomenon in the 1940s. [bio]

  • Kevin McCarthy
    Feb. 15 Kevin McCarthy

    Kevin McCarthy was an American stage, film, and television actor, most famous for his leading role in the classic science fiction film 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' (1956). He enjoyed a career spanning over seven decades and appeared in more than 100 films and television series. [bio]

  • Arthur Kennedy
    Feb. 17 Arthur Kennedy

    Arthur Kennedy was an acclaimed American stage and film actor known for his versatile performances in both supporting and leading roles from the late 1930s through the 1970s. He was nominated for five Academy Awards and won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. [bio]

  • Zachary Scott
    Feb. 22 Zachary Scott

    Zachary Scott was an American actor best known for his roles as sophisticated villains and mysterious men in film noir during the 1940s and 1950s. He gained prominence in Hollywood with his debut in "The Mask of Dimitrios" and is often remembered for his acclaimed performance in the classic film "Mildred Pierce" (1945). [bio]

  • Robert Alda
    Feb. 26 Robert Alda

    Robert Alda was an American actor and singer, best known for his work in musical theatre, film, and television. He was particularly recognized for his Tony Award-winning role in the original Broadway production of 'Guys and Dolls' and for being the father of actor Alan Alda. [bio]

  • Ralph Ellison
    March 1 Ralph Ellison

    Ralph Ellison was an acclaimed American novelist, literary critic, and scholar, best known for his 1952 novel 'Invisible Man', which won the National Book Award and is regarded as one of the most important works of American literature in the 20th century. [bio]

  • Wendell Corey
    March 20 Wendell Corey

    Wendell Corey was an American actor and politician, best known for his supporting roles in classic Hollywood films and his later service as the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. [bio]

  • Norman Borlaug
    March 25 Norman Borlaug

    Norman Borlaug was an American agronomist and humanitarian, widely regarded as the 'father of the Green Revolution' for his groundbreaking work in developing high-yield, disease-resistant wheat varieties that drastically increased food production and helped combat global hunger. [bio]

  • Octavio Paz
    March 31 Octavio Paz

    Octavio Paz was a renowned Mexican poet, writer, and diplomat who significantly influenced Latin American literature.

  • Alec Guinness
    April 2 Alec Guinness

    Alec Guinness was an acclaimed English actor, renowned for his versatility in theater and film. Over his distinguished career spanning more than six decades, he became known for his roles in classics such as 'The Bridge on the River Kwai,' 'Lawrence of Arabia,' and as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original 'Star Wars' trilogy. [bio]

  • Marguerite Duras
    April 4 Marguerite Duras

    Marguerite Duras was a renowned French novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and film director. She is best known for her experimental narrative style and works such as 'The Lover' and 'Hiroshima mon amour.' Duras was a prominent figure in twentieth-century French literature and cinema. [bio]

  • María Félix
    April 8 María Félix

    María Félix was a renowned Mexican actress and one of the most iconic figures of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. Nicknamed 'La Doña' after her role in 'Doña Bárbara', Félix was celebrated for her striking beauty, strong and commanding screen presence, and performances that broke new ground for women in Latin American film. Her legacy persists as a cultural … [bio]

  • John Hodiak
    April 16 John Hodiak

    John Hodiak was an American actor known for his work in film and radio during the 1940s and early 1950s. He gained recognition for roles in movies like 'Lifeboat' (1944) and 'Battleground' (1949). [bio]

  • Betty Lou Gerson
    April 20 Betty Lou Gerson

    Betty Lou Gerson was an American actress best known as the original voice of Cruella de Vil in Disney's animated film 'One Hundred and One Dalmatians' (1961). She had a successful career in radio, television, and film, notably in the Golden Age of Radio. [bio]

  • Tyrone Power
    May 5 Tyrone Power

    Tyrone Power was a prominent American film, stage, and radio actor, best known for his swashbuckling roles in Hollywood films from the 1930s to the 1950s. He starred in romantic, adventure, and historical movies, becoming one of 20th Century Fox's top box office draws. [bio]

  • Verna Hillie
    May 5 Verna Hillie

    Verna Hillie was an American film actress best known for her work in the 1930s. She appeared in several feature films during the Golden Age of Hollywood, often cast in leading-lady roles in B-movies and serials. [bio]

  • Joe Louis
    May 13 Joe Louis

    Joe Louis, known as the 'Brown Bomber,' was an American professional boxer who reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949 and is regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all time. [bio]

  • Sammy Baugh
    May 17 Sammy Baugh

    Sammy Baugh was an American football quarterback, coach, and Hall of Famer widely considered one of the most influential players in the history of the National Football League (NFL). He revolutionized the forward pass and set numerous records during his stellar career. [bio]

  • Lilli Palmer
    May 24 Lilli Palmer

    Lilli Palmer was a renowned German actress and writer, celebrated for her impressive film, stage, and television career spanning Europe and Hollywood from the 1930s through the 1970s. [bio]

  • Saul Bellow
    June 11 Saul Bellow

    Saul Bellow was a Nobel Prize-winning American novelist who profoundly influenced 20th-century literature.

  • Pauline Moore
    June 14 Pauline Moore

    Pauline Moore was an American film actress best known for her work in B-movies, particularly Westerns, as well as her roles in 20th Century Fox films during the late 1930s and 1940s. [bio]

  • John Hersey
    June 17 John Hersey

    John Hersey was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American writer and journalist, widely recognized for his impactful reporting and fiction. He is best known for his book 'Hiroshima' (1946), which vividly chronicled the experiences of atomic bomb survivors and is regarded as a pioneering work of new journalism. [bio]

  • Woody Strode
    July 28 Woody Strode

    Woody Strode was an American athlete and actor best known for his roles in classic Western films and as a pioneering Black athlete in professional football. [bio]

  • Louis de Funès
    July 31 Louis de Funès

    Louis de Funès was a legendary French actor and comedian, renowned for his energetic slapstick performances and expressive facial acting. One of France's most beloved film stars, he became famous for roles in film series such as "Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez," "La Grande Vadrouille," and his collaborations with director Jean Girault. [bio]

  • Josette Day
    July 31 Josette Day

    Josette Day was a renowned French actress, best known for her role as Belle in Jean Cocteau's 1946 classic film adaptation of 'La Belle et la Bête' (Beauty and the Beast). Her film career spanned from the silent film era through the mid-20th century. [bio]

  • Luis Mariano
    Aug. 12 Luis Mariano

    Luis Mariano was a Spanish-born tenor and actor who became extremely popular in France during the mid-20th century, especially known for his performances in operettas and musical films. [bio]

  • Joan Blondell
    Aug. 30 Joan Blondell

    Joan Blondell was an American actress known for her vivacious screen presence and roles in both pre-Code Hollywood films of the 1930s and supporting roles in movies and television from the 1940s through the 1970s. Renowned for her comedic timing and wit, she appeared in over 100 films across her long career. [bio]

  • Richard Basehart
    Aug. 31 Richard Basehart

    Richard Basehart was an acclaimed American actor known for his versatile performances in both film and television. With a career spanning over four decades, he appeared in several notable movies and TV shows and is recognized for his distinctive voice and presence. [bio]

  • Allen Funt
    Sept. 16 Allen Funt

    Allen Funt was an American television producer and director best known as the creator and host of the hidden camera show 'Candid Camera.' [bio]

  • Kenneth More
    Sept. 20 Kenneth More

    Kenneth More was a prominent English actor renowned for his roles in classic British films and television throughout the mid-20th century. He achieved widespread popularity for his performances in the 1950s and 1960s, becoming one of Britain's most recognisable and beloved screen personalities. [bio]

  • Jack LaLanne
    Sept. 26 Jack LaLanne

    Jack LaLanne was an American fitness and nutrition expert, television host, and motivational speaker, often referred to as the 'Godfather of Fitness.' He is best known for pioneering fitness and exercise programs on television and for promoting the importance of healthy living throughout the 20th century. [bio]

  • Jonas Salk
    Oct. 28 Jonas Salk

    Jonas Salk was an American medical researcher and virologist best known for developing the first successful polio vaccine. His work in the 1950s was pivotal in the fight against polio, a disease that caused paralysis and death worldwide. Salk was noted for his humanitarian principles, particularly his decision not to patent the vaccine, thus ensuring its widespread distribution. [bio]

  • Ray Walston
    Nov. 2 Ray Walston

    Ray Walston was an American actor and comedian best known for his television and film roles spanning seven decades, including iconic performances in 'My Favorite Martian', 'South Pacific', and 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High.' [bio]

  • Jonathan Harris
    Nov. 6 Jonathan Harris

    Jonathan Harris was an American character actor best known for his role as Dr. Zachary Smith in the 1960s science fiction television series 'Lost in Space.' His career spanned several decades, and he appeared in numerous television shows and films, gaining recognition for his distinctive voice and comedic timing. [bio]

  • Hedy Lamarr
    Nov. 9 Hedy Lamarr

    Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-born American actress and inventor, celebrated both for her roles in classic Hollywood films and for co-inventing technology foundational to modern wireless communications. [bio]

  • Joe DiMaggio
    Nov. 26 Joe DiMaggio

    Legendary New York Yankees center fielder, considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time.

  • Odette Joyeux
    Dec. 5 Odette Joyeux

    Odette Joyeux was a celebrated French actress, playwright, and novelist, popular in French cinema during the 1930s and 1940s, and later recognized for her contributions to literature and theater. [bio]

  • Dorothy Lamour
    Dec. 10 Dorothy Lamour

    Dorothy Lamour was an American actress and singer best known for her performances in the "Road to..." film series, in which she starred alongside Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. She was one of the most popular actresses of the 1930s and 1940s, often remembered for her iconic sarong-clad roles and her work as a singer during Hollywood's Golden Age. [bio]

  • Richard Widmark
    Dec. 26 Richard Widmark

    Richard Widmark was an American actor known for his roles in film noir, Westerns, and drama films, achieving fame with his debut in 'Kiss of Death' and maintaining a career as a leading man and character actor for more than four decades. [bio]

  • Bert Parks
    Dec. 30 Bert Parks

    Bert Parks was an American actor, singer, and radio and television announcer, best known for hosting the Miss America Pageant for over two decades. [bio]

  • Jo Van Fleet
    Dec. 30 Jo Van Fleet

    Jo Van Fleet was an American actress known for her compelling performances in film, television, and theater. She won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 'East of Eden' (1955). [bio]