Famous People Born in 1920
Discover the most famous people born in 1920. The list includes people like Pope John Paul II, Isaac Asimov, Mickey Rooney, Ray Bradbury, Charles Bukowski and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include novelists, political leaders, journalists and soldiers born in 1920. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, Italy & Canada and many more countries.
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1
Isaac Asimov(Writer Best Known for His Hard Science Fiction Novels and Professor of Biochemistry)
Birthdate: 2nd January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Petrovichi, Russia
Died: April 6, 1992
Isaac Asimov was an American writer. Best known for his science fiction works, Asimov was regarded as one of the Big Three writers along with Arthur C. Clarke and Robert A. Heinlein. Asimov is credited with influencing most sci-fi writers since the 1950s. Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman stated that one of Asimov's works inspired him to take up Economics.
2
Mickey Rooney(Actor and Producer Known for His TV Series ‘The Adventures of the Black Stallion’)
Birthdate: 23rd September
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: April 6, 2014
Best known for playing Andy Hardy in 16 MGM films, Mickey Rooney had an illustrious career of over 80 years. The star of Hollywood’s Golden Age started his career as a child in vaudeville, and at 19, became the first teenager nominee for an Academy Award for Babes in Arms.
Birthdate: 17th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Died: October 24, 2015
Maureen O'Hara was an Irish singer and actress. Dubbed The Queen of Technicolor due to her long and successful career throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Maureen O'Hara was popular for playing passionate, but sensible characters. In 2014, she received an Honorary Academy Award. In 2020, she was ranked first on Ireland's greatest film actors list published by The Irish Times.
Recommended Lists:4
Walter Matthau(Best Known for His Roles in the Films: ‘A Face in the Crowd’ and ‘King Creole’)
Birthdate: 1st October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: July 1, 2000
Walter Matthau was an American actor who won major acting awards, such as an Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Tony Awards. He is best remembered for his acting partnership with Jack Lemmon in films like The Odd Couple and Grumpy Old Men. His death was mourned by the entire film industry, with Lemmon paying tribute on Larry King Live.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: 17th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Died: July 23, 1966
Montgomery Clift was an American actor whose decision not to sign a contract in Hollywood for the first couple of films went on to help establish the structure of the star-studio relationship from the 1950s to the '80s. One of the original American method actors, Clift was the subject of a documentary named Making Montgomery Clift, which released in 2018.
6
Ray Bradbury(One of the Most Celebrated 20th-Century American Writers Known for His Novel 'Fahrenheit 451')
Birthdate: 22nd August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Waukegan, Illinois, United States
Died: June 5, 2012
Ray Bradbury is best remembered for his writings in the science-fiction, mystery, and horror genres, the most notable being the short story anthology Martian Chronicles and the novel Fahrenheit 451. He also contributed to the screenplays of various series and films, and won an Emmy for writing The Halloween Tree.
Recommended Lists:7
Gene Tierney(Best Known for Her Role as ‘Ellen Berent Harland’ in the Film ‘Leave Her to Heaven’)
Birthdate: 19th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: November 6, 1991
Gene Tierney is best remembered for her Academy Award-nominated role of Ellen Berent Harland in Leave Her to Heaven. She also starred in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Laura, and The Razor's Edge, and performed on Broadway, too. Her personal life is said to have inspired an Agatha Christie novel.
8
Charlie Parker(Jazz Saxophonist & Developer of the 'Bebop' Style of Jazz)
Birthdate: 29th August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Kansas City, Kansas, United States
Died: March 12, 1955
Charlie Parker was an American composer and jazz saxophonist. A highly influential soloist, Parker played a significant role in the development of a form of jazz called bebop. He is also credited with introducing harmonic ideas into jazz, such as chord substitutions and rapid passing chords. His contribution to jazz and bebop made him an icon of the hipster subculture.
Recommended Lists:9
Shelley Winters(American Actress Best Known for Her Films: 'The Diary of Anne Frank' and 'A Patch of Blue')
Birthdate: 18th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Died: January 14, 2006
Shelley Winters was an American actress who contributed immensely to all the three major acting mediums in a career spanning almost sixty years. The winner of two Academy Awards, Shelley Winters remained popular throughout her life. She was also known for her much-publicized personal life, which included her four marriages and the romance with actor Farley Granger.
10
Ricardo Montalbán(Mexican Actor Best Known for His Role of 'Mr. Roarke' on the Television Series 'Fantasy Island')
Birthdate: 25th November
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Mexico City, Mexico
Died: January 14, 2009
Ricardo Montalbán was a Mexican actor who achieved immense popularity in Hollywood during his illustrious career that spanned 70 years! He was the recipient of several prestigious awards including an Emmy Award and Screen Actors Guild's Lifetime Achievement Award. Ricardo Montalbán is credited with establishing the Nosotros Foundation where he served as the first president.
Recommended Lists:11
Charles Bukowski(Poet and Author Known for His Work “Mockingbird Wish Me Luck,” and “Love Is a Dog from Hell”)
Birthdate: 16th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Andernach, Germany
Died: March 9, 1994
German-American poet and short story writer ,Charles Bukowski, addressed the ordinary lives of poor Americans in most of his works. Since his death, he has been the subject of many critical books and articles. His stories have inspired several films like Tales of Ordinary Madness, Crazy Love, and Factotum.
12
Christopher Robin Milne(Author)
Birthdate: 21st August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Chelsea, London, United Kingdom
Died: April 20, 1996
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: 25th July
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Notting Hill, London, England
Died: April 16, 1958
Chemist and X-ray crystallographer Rosalind Franklin is remembered for her pathbreaking X-ray diffraction studies of DNA, which helped in the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of the double helix structure of DNA by Francis Crick, James Watson, and Maurice Wilkins later. She also worked on the molecular structures of viruses.
14
DeForest Kelley(Best Known for His Role as ‘Dr. Leonard McCoy’ in the TV Series ‘Star Trek’)
Birthdate: 20th January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Toccoa, Georgia, United States
Died: June 11, 1999
DeForest Kelley, also known as Dee, is remembered for his appearances in Westerns such as Warlock. He also gained fame as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy in the Star Trek movie and TV franchise. A talented singer, he also sang on various radio shows and appeared on WSB AM.
Recommended Lists:15
Jack Lord(Best Known for His Role of Steve McGarrett in the CBS TV Series 'Hawaii Five-O')
Birthdate: 30th December
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: January 21, 1998
Jack Lord is best known as Steve McGarrett from the series Hawaii Five-O. He spent his youth painting landscapes and studied at New York University on a football scholarship. He later held art exhibitions, too. He was also the first to play Felix Leiter in the James Bond franchise.
Birthdate: 26th February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Died: May 17, 2004
Tony Randall is best remembered as Felix Unger from the sitcom The Odd Couple, based on the 1965 play of the same name, also winning an Emmy for the role. He also appeared in series such as Love, Sidney and delivered Golden Globe-nominated roles in films such as Pillow Talk.
Recommended Lists:17
Federico Fellini(Italian Filmmaker Known for His Distinctive Style, Which Blends Fantasy and Baroque Images with Earthiness.)
Birthdate: 20th January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Rimini, Italy
Died: October 31, 1993
Italian film director and screenwriter, Federico Fellini, is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time. He was nominated for the Academy Awards 12 times and won four in the category of Best Foreign Language Film. His distinctive style of film-making has inspired generations of directors in both Italy and Hollywood.
18
William Conrad(Actor, Producer, and Director Who Worked in Radio, Film, and Television for Over Fifty Years)
Birthdate: 27th September
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Died: February 11, 1994
William Conrad was an American actor and filmmaker whose entertainment career in radio, television, and film spanned five decades. He achieved popularity after starring as Frank Cannon in the popular detective television series, Cannon. In 1997, William Conrad was posthumously inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame and the National Radio Hall of Fame.
Recommended Lists:19
Esther Rolle(Former Actress known for Florida Evans in Maude and Good Times)
Birthdate: 8th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Pompano Beach, Florida, United States
Died: November 17, 1998
20
Jack Elam(Actor)
Birthdate: 13th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Miami, Arizona, United States
Died: October 20, 2003
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: 15th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States
Died: July 2, 1999
Mario Puzo is remembered for his iconic crime novels, most notably the New York Times bestseller The Godfather, which was later turned into a movie trilogy by Francis Ford Coppola and won Puzo two Academy Awards for the best screenplay. Puzo also wrote the screenplay for Richard Donner's Superman.
22
Peggy Lee(Singer)
Birthdate: 26th May
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Jamestown, North Dakota, United States
Died: January 21, 2002
Recommended Lists:23
James Doohan(Screenwriter, Television actor, Film actor, Actor, Novelist, Science fiction writer)
Birthdate: 3rd March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Vancouver
Died: July 20, 2005
Canadian actor James Doohan was initially a soldier in the Canadian army and had even sustained injuries in World War II. He later soared to fame with his Saturn Award-nominated role of Montgomery Scott in the Star Trek film and TV franchise. He also voiced the character in various video games.
24
Timothy Francis Leary(American Psychologist and Writer Known for His Strong Advocacy of Psychedelic Drugs)
Birthdate: 22nd October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
Died: May 31, 1996
Psychologist and former Harvard professor Timothy Leary was an advocate of psychedelic drugs. His research experiments included the controversial Concord Prison Experiment and Marsh Chapel Experiment. After being fired from Harvard for his actions, he continued promoting his theories through catchphrases such as “turn on, tune in, drop out.”
Recommended Lists:25
Toshiro Mifune(One of Japan's Greatest Actors Known Actors Who is Known for His Collaboration With Akira Kurosawa)
Birthdate: 1st April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Qingdao, China
Died: December 24, 1997
Toshiro Mifune was a Japanese actor best known for his collaboration with director Akira Kurosawa. The two worked together for 16 films, most of which are considered cinema classics. In 1986, Mifune was honored with the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon. In 2016, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
26
Denver Pyle(Actor and Director Known for His TV Series ‘The Andy Griffith Show’ and ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’)
Birthdate: 11th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Bethune, Colorado, United States
Died: December 25, 1997
Denver Pyle was an American actor and director. He achieved popularity during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s when he appeared in TV series like The Andy Griffith Show and The Doris Day Show. Also known for his charitable efforts, Denver Pyle sponsored a tournament called Uncle Jesse's Fishing Tournament, which raised over $160,000 in 10 years to support children's programs.
Recommended Lists:27
Werner Klemperer(Actor)
Birthdate: 22nd March
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Cologne, Germany
Died: December 6, 2000
28
Jack Warden(Actor)
Birthdate: 18th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States
Died: July 19, 2006
Recommended Lists:29
Jack Webb(Actor)
Birthdate: 2nd April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Santa Monica, California, USA
Died: December 23, 1982
Birthdate: 1st September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: October 6, 2000
31
Frank Herbert(Science Fiction Author Best Known for His 1965 Novel 'Dune' & Its Sequels)
Birthdate: 8th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Tacoma, Washington, United States
Died: February 11, 1986
American author, newspaper-journalist, book-reviewer, lecturer, photographer, and ecological consultant Franklin Herbert is most noted for his 1965 sci-fi novel Dune and its five sequels. Dune won the Nebula Award and the Hugo Award and spearheaded the Dune franchise. The novel is cited as the best-selling sci-fi novel in history while the series is counted among the classics of the genre.
Birthdate: 19th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Died: September 14, 2002
33
Stan Musial(Baseball Player)
Birthdate: 21st November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Donora, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: January 19, 2013
Birthdate: 30th January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Huntington, West Virginia
Died: December 16, 2001
Carwood Lipton was a United States army officer who served during World War II. Lipton, who played a major role in the Battle of Normandy and Battle of the Bulge, was honored with three Purple Hearts and two Bronze Star medals. In the popular TV war drama miniseries Band of Brothers, Carwood Lipton was portrayed by actor Donnie Wahlberg.
35
Virginia Mayo(Actress Best Known for Her Movies: 'The Best Years of Our Lives' and 'White Heat')
Birthdate: 30th November
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Died: January 17, 2005
One of the first to be awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Virginia Clara Jones was possibly Warner Brothers' biggest box-office money-maker in late 1940s. Beginning her career with vaudevilles, she quickly signed contracts first with Goldwyn and later with Warner Brothers, giving out numerous hits, including Oscar-winning The Best Years of Our Lives and White Heat.
Birthdate: 7th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Varanasi, United Provinces, British Raj
Died: December 11, 2012
Indian sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankar is best remembered for his pathbreaking collaborations with George Harrison and Yehudi Menuhin. The five-time Grammy-winner was trained in the sitar by Allauddin Khan and toured all over the U.S. and Europe, infusing Carnatic elements into Western music. He had also composed for Satyajit Ray.
Birthdate: 27th October
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: San Diego, California, United States
Died: February 22, 2018
38
Dave Brubeck(Pianist, Songwriter)
Birthdate: 30th November
Birthplace: Concord
Died: 2012 AD
39
Bill Cullen(Television personality)
Birthdate: 18th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: July 7, 1990
Birthdate: 17th March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Tungipara, Bangladesh
Died: August 15, 1975
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father of Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, is known as the "Father of the Nation" and “Bangabandhu" in Bangladesh. He was an Awami League leader and led the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. He was the first president of Bangladesh and later also served as the Bangladeshi PM.
41
Ross Martin(Actors)
Birthdate: 22nd March
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Gródek, Poland
Died: July 3, 1981
42
Neville Brand(Actor)
Birthdate: 13th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Griswold, Iowa, USA
Died: April 16, 1992
Birthdate: 3rd August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Oxford, England
Died: November 27, 2014
44
Annie Glenn(Disability rights activist)
Birthdate: 17th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio, United States
Died: May 19, 2020
45
Vincent Gardenia(Actor)
Birthdate: 7th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Naples, Italy
Died: December 9, 1992
46
Tom of Finland(Finnish Painter, Best Known for His Depiction of Gay Sexuality through His Works)
Birthdate: 8th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kaarina
Died: November 7, 1991
One of the most influential artists of the 20th century, Touko Valio Laaksonen, better known as Tom of Finland, is remembered for his paintings of the human body and his depiction of homoerotic desire. In his later life, his struggle with emphysema made him switch from pencil to pastels.
47
Selma Diamond(Actress)
Birthdate: 5th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Montreal, Canada
Died: May 13, 1985
Birthdate: 10th June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Qingjiang, Kiangsu, China
Died: June 14, 2007
American Christian author Ruth Graham had met evangelist Billy Graham at Wheaton College, and they got soon after. Daughter of medical missionary parents, Ruth had grown up in China. She was an avid philanthropist and had raised her five children almost singlehandedly while Billy was mostly touring as an evangelist.
Birthdate: 18th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Wadowice, Poland
Died: April 2, 2005
Pope John Paul II was the head of the Catholic Church from 1978 until his death in 2005. He is hailed for helping to end Communist rule in his native Poland and improving the Catholic Church's relations with Islam, Judaism, and the Eastern Orthodox Church. He was a lifelong football fan, having himself played the sport in his youth.
50
Robert Leckie(American Writer and US Marine Who Authored Sports Books, Children's Books, Autobiographies, and Fiction Books)
Birthdate: 18th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Philadelphia
Died: December 24, 2001
Robert Leckie was an American writer and US Marine. He is best remembered for authoring sports books, children's books, autobiographies, fiction books, and books about the history of the United States military. One of Robert Leckie's memoirs, Helmet for My Pillow, became the basis for the popular war drama miniseries The Pacific.
