February 28: Today's Notable Birthdays

Is February 28th your birthday? Was someone special to you born on February 28th? With whom will you choose to celebrate this excellent occasion?

If today is your birthday, then you are in excellent company.

February 28th was the birth date of several notable (or even notorious) individuals. Here they are:

February 28th Birthdays: Famous Artists

Milton Caniff, American cartoonist (Steve Canyon and Terry and the Pirates), was born on February 28, 1907.

Swedish film director (The Girls of Huntington House, Midas Run and The Pleasure Garden) and actor (Divorced, Ice Station Zebra, Madame Bovary, My Six Convicts, Panic in Paradise, Ship of Fools, Torment and Woman Without a Face) Alf Kjellin was born on February 28, 1920.

Lester Anthony Vincente Minnelli, American film director (An American in Paris, Bells Are Ringing, Brigadoon, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Father of the Bride, Father's Little Dividend, Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Gigi, Goodbye Charlie, Kismet, Lust for Life, Madame Bovary, Meet Me in St. Louis, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, The Pirate, The Reluctant Debutante, The Sandpiper, Tea and Sympathy, Yolanda and the Thief and Ziegfeld Follies) and Academy Award winner (1958), was born on February 28, 1903. Vincente Minnelli married actress Judy Garland. His daughter is singer and actress Liza Minnelli.

British cartoonist (Alice in Wonderland, Punch and Through the Looking Glass) Sir John Tenniel was born on February 28, 1820.

February 28th Birthdays: Famous Athletes

American race car driver Mario Andretti was born on February 28, 1940. Mario Andretti's sons are race car drivers Jeff Andretti and Michael Andretti. His nephew is race car driver John Andretti, and his grandson is race car driver Marco Andretti.

Adrian Dantley, American professional basketball player (Utah Jazz) and Olympic gold medalist (1976), was born

Jeff Farrell, American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist (1960), was born on February 28, 1837.

American professional football player Roland Harper (Chicago Bears) was born on February 28, 1953.

Christine Lathan-Brehmer, German runner and Olympic gold medalist (1976), was born on February 28, 1958.

Canadian professional hockey player Eric Lindros (Dallas Stars, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs) was born on February 28, 1973.

American professional baseball player Frank Malzone (Boston Red Sox and California Angels) was born on February 28, 1930.

Noureddine Morceli, Algerian runner and Olympic gold medalist (1996), was born on February 28, 1970.

American professional basketball player Tom Riker (New York Knicks) was born on February 28, 1950.

American professional baseball player Martin Roman (Marty) Perez (Atlanta Braves, California Angels, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants) was born on February 28, 1947.

Charles Aaron (Bubba) Smith, American professional football player (Baltimore Colts, Houston Oilers and Oakland Raiders), was born on February 28, 1945. Bubba Smith has appeared in several motion pictures, including Blue Thunder and the Police Academy series.

Gustavo Thoeni, Italian slalom skier and Olympic gold medalist (1972), was born on February 28, 1951.

February 28th Birthdays: Famous Authors and Journalists

Russian author Svetland Alliluyeva (The Faraway Music) was born on February 28, 1926. Svetland Alliluyeva's father was Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.

French essayist Michel de Montaigne was born on February 28, 1533.

Ben Hecht, American editor and author (Eric Dorn and The Front Page) and was born on February 28, 1894. Ben Hecht founded the Chicago Literary Times.

British philanthropist and hymnist William D. Longstaff ("Take Time to Be Holy) was born on February 28, 1822.

Sabine Baring-Gould, British clergyman and hymnist ("Now the Day Is Over" and "Onward Christian Soldiers"), was born on February 28, 1834.

February 28th Birthdays: Famous Performers

American model and actress Maxine Bahns (The Brothers McMullen, Charlie Valentine and The Mentalist) was born on February 28, 1971.

Sir William Stanley Baker, Welsh actor (The Changeling, The Cruel Sea, The Guns of Navarone, Hell Drivers, How Green Was My Valley, Knights of the Roundtable, Perfect Friday, Richard III, Robinson Crusoe and Zulu), was born on February 28, 1927.

British actress Stephanie Beacham (The Colbys, Dynasty, Foreign Affairs, The Nightcomers, Seaquest DSV, Sister Kate and Troop Beverly Hills) was born on February 28, 1947. Stephanie Beacham married actor and screenwriter John McEnery.

American actress Carole Kelly Bishop (Gilmore Girls) was born on February 28, 1944.

Frank Woodrow (Frank Bonner) Boers, Jr., American actor (Equinox, Just the Ten of Us, The New WKRP in Cincinnati, Sidekicks and WKRP in Cincinnati), was born on February 28, 1942.

American jazz and Big Band trumpeter and bandleader Aniello (Lee Castle) Castaldo was born on February 28, 1915. Lee Castle played with Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, Jack Teagarden and other artists.

Canadian-American actress Rae Dawn Chong (Beat Street, Choose Me, The Color Purple, Commando, Quest for Fire and Soul Man) was born on February 28, 1961. Rae Dawn Chong was married to actor C. Thomas Howell. Her sister is model and actress Robbi Chong.

Charles Durning, American actor (The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Captains and the Kings, The Cop and the Kid, Death of a Salesman, Dick Tracy, Dog Day Afternoon, Evening Shade, Eye to Eye, The Final Countdown, The Hindenburg, The Hudsucker Proxy, The Kennedys of Massachusetts, North Dallas Forty, Sharky's Machine, Spy Hard, The Sting, Studs Lonigan, Tootsie and When a Stranger Calls), was born on February 28, 1923.

Geraldine Farrar, American operatic soprano, was born on February 28, 1882.

American contemporary Christian singer Don Francisco ("Beautiful to Me," "Give Your Heart a Home," "He's Alive," "I Don't Care Where You've Been Sleeping," "Stand Up" and "Steeple Song") was born on February 28, 1946. Don Francisco is not related to the Chilean television host (Sabado Gigante) of the same name.

Gilbert Gottfried, American comedian, actor (Are You Afraid of the Dark, Beverly Hills Cop II, Highway to Hell, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Look Who's Talking Too, Meet Wally Sparks, Night Court, Problem Child, Problem Child 2 and Problem Child 3: Junior in Love) and voice-over artist (Aladdin, Aladdin and the King of Thieves, The Aristocrats, Bonkers, Disney's House of Mouse, Dr. Dolittle, The Emperor's New School, Fairly Odd Parents, Kingdom Hearts, Ren & Stimpy, Return of Jafar, Superman: The Animated Series, Thumbelina and Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat), was born on February 28, 1955.

British rock drummer Phil Gould (Level 42) was born on February 28, 1957.

Jean Francois (Charles Blondin) Gravelet-Blondin, French acrobat and tightrope walker, was born on February 28, 1824. Charles Blondin was the first person to walk a tightrope across Niagara Falls.

British rock guitarist Brian Jones (The Rolling Stones) was born on February 28, 1942.

Robert Sean Leonard, American actor (The Age of Innocence, The Boys Next Door, The Dead Poets Society, House M.D., Manhattan Project, Mr. & Mrs. Bridge and Safe Passage), was born on February 28, 1969.

Irish-American rock singer Pat Monahan (Train) was born on February 28, 1969.

Zero Mostel, American comedian and actor (Fiddler on the Roof, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Rhinoceros, The Front and The Producers), was born on February 28, 1915. Zero Mostel's son is actor Josh Mostel.

American singer and actress Bernadette Peters (Alice, All's Fair, Annie, Dames at Sea, George M, It Runs in the Family, The Jerk, Pennies from Heaven, Pink Cadillac, Silent Movie and Wine and Kisses) was born on February 28, 1948.

Mercedes Ruehl, American actress (All-American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story, Big, Entourage, The Fisher King, Frasier, Indictment: The McMartin Trial, The Last Action Hero, Lost in Yonkers, Married to the Mob and Radio Days) and Academy Award winner (1991), was born on February 28, 1948.

Allan George (Gavin MacLeod) See, American actor (High Time, I Want to Live, The Love Boat, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, McHale's Navy, Operation Petticoat, The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry and Time Changer), author (Back on Course: The Remarkable Story of a Divorce That Ended in Remarriage) and television personality (Trinity Broadcasting Network's Back on Course), was born on February 28, 1930.

Joseph Alfred (Joe South) Souter, American rock guitarist, singer and songwriter ("Down in the Boondocks, " "Games People Play," "Rose Garden" and "Walk a Mile in My Shoes"), was born on February 28, 1942.

American dancer and actor Tommy Tune (Dean Martin Presents, My One and Only and Will Rogers Follies) was born on February 28, 1939.

John Turturro, American actor (Barton Fink, The Color of Money, Desperately Seeking Susan, Girl 6, Hannah and Her Sisters, The Big Lebowski, Miller's Crossing, O Brother, Where Art ThouQuiz Show, The Sicilian and To Live & Die in L.A.), was born on February 28, 1957. John Turturro's brother is actor Nicholas Turturro, and his cousin is actress Aida Turturro. He married actress Katherine Borowitz.

American country music singer Jason Aldine Williams was born on February 28, 1977. Jason Aldean's most popular songs include "Amarillo Sky," "Hicktown," "Johnny Cash," "Laughed Until We Cried," "Relentless," "She's Country" and "Why."

American new wave and rock singer Cindy Wilson (The B-52s) was born on February 28, 1957.

February 28th Birthdays: Famous Scientists

Leon Cooper, American physicist and Nobel Prize winner (1972), was born on February 28, 1930.

Philip Showalter Hench, American physician, pharmacologist and Nobel Prize winner (1950), was born on February 28, 1896.

American aerospace engineer (NASA) and author (Flight: My Life in Mission Control) Christopher Columbus (Chris) Kraft, Jr.was born on February 28, 1924. Chris Kraft served as NASA flight director for the Gemini and Mercury space missions.

Linus Pauling, American chemist, political activist, peace worker, author (The Nature of the Chemical Bond) and Nobel Prize winner (1954 and 1962), was born on February 28, 1901.

French naturalist and physicist Rene Antoine Ferchault de Reaumur was born on February 28, 1683. Rene Reaumur created the Reaumur Temperature Scale and invented an alcohol thermometer.

February 28th Birthdays: Famous World (and Other) Leaders

Do you know any others who are celebrating birthdays on February 28th?

If you know additional notable people (including yourself) who may be celebrating a birthday on February 28th, please indicate so in a comment below. Thank you!

Happy Birthday, February 28th.

Other Notable Birthdates:

Click here to check other calendar dates for notable birthdates.

Sources:

http://440.com/twtd/today.html

http://christianmusic.about.com/library/bl_bdjul.htm

http://halife.com/daily/trivia

http://halife.com/religion

http://thinkexist.com/birthday

http://www.arts.ufl.edu/ART/rt_room/artist_birthdays/july.html

http://www.born-today.com/bt.htm

http://www.brainyhistory.com/daysbirth

http://www.celebrity-link.com

http://www.christianactivities.com/artistspotlight/story.asp?ID=893

http://www.famousbirthdays.net

http://www.historyorb.com/today/tomorrowsbirthdays.php

http://www.holidayinsights.com/bday

http://www.infoplease.com/birthday

http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/kids/artists.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday

http://www.thelizlibrary.org/collections/woa/woa.html

http://www.toonopedia.com/today.htm

http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com/book

http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Day_files/Now.html on February 28, 1955.