January 17: Today's Notable Birthdays

Is January 17th your birthday? Was someone special to you born on January 17th? With whom will you choose to celebrate this excellent occasion?

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

January 17th was the birth date of several notable (or even notorious) individuals. Here they are:

January 17th Birthdays: Famous Artists

Jacques-Francois Blondel, French architect and author (L'Architecture française), was born on January 17, 1705.

Italian architect Camillo-Guarino Guarini (Turin's Chapel of the Holy Shroud) was born on January 17, 1624.

American silent film director (Cannonball, Dizzy Heights and Daring Hearts, Kid's Auto Race, Mabel's Married Life, Mack Sennett Comedies, Tillie's Punctured Romance and Wrestling Swordfish) and Academy Award winner (1932) Mack Sennett was born on January 17, 1880. Mack Sennett received an honorary award for lifetime achievement at the 1938 Academy Awards.

Istvan Szonyi, Hungarian painter (Landscape at Dawn and Roofs in Zebegeny), was born on January 17, 1894.

January 17th Birthdays: Famous Athletes

Muhammad (Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.) Ali, American heavyweight boxing champion and Olympic gold medalist (1960), was born on January 17, 1942. Muhammad Ali's daughter is boxer Laila Ali.

American professional baseball player Robert Dennis (Denny) Doyle (Boston Red Sox, California Angels and Philadelphia Phillies) was born on January 17, 1943.

Toini Gustafson, Swedish cross country skier and Olympic gold medalist (1968), was born on January 17, 1939.

Ralph Pierre (Pete) LaCock, American professional baseball player (Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals), was born on January 17, 1952.

American professional football player Preston James Pearson (Baltimore Colts, Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers) was born on January 17, 1945.

American professional basketball player Dwyane Tyrone (D-Wade or Flash) Wade, Jr. (Miami Heat and Phoenix Suna), was born on January 17, 1982.

Kipchoge (Kip) Keino, Kenyan runner and Olympic gold medalist (1968 and 1972), was born on January 17, 1940.

Canadian professional hockey player Joseph Jacques Omer Plante (Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs) was born on January 17, 1929.

January 17th Birthdays: Famous Authors and Journalists

Anne Bronte, British novelist (Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall), was born on January 17, 1820. Anne Bronte's sisters were novelists Charlotte Bronte and Emily Bronte.

American television newscaster and talk show host Maurice Richard (Maury) Povich (A Current Affair, Maury,The Maury Povich Show and Twenty One) was born on January 17, 1939. Maury Povich married television newscaster Connie Chung.

January 17th Birthdays: Famous Business Leaders

Glenn Luther Martin, American aviation pioneer and airplane manufacturer (Martin Marietta Corporation), was born on January 17, 1886.

British hairdresser and hair care products entrepreneur (Vidal Sassoon Salons) Vidal Sassoon was born on January 17, 1928.

January 17th Birthdays: Famous Performers

British actor Naveen Andrews (Drowning on Dry Land, The English Patient, London Kills M, Lost, Mighty Joe Young and Rollerball) was born on January 17, 1969.

Canadian comedian and actor Jim Carrey (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Batman Forever, Bruce Almighty, The Cable Guy, Dumb and Dumber, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, In Living Color, Liar Liar, The Majestic, Man in the Moon, The Mask, Me Myself and Irene and The Truman Show) was born on January 17, 1962.

Eddie Carswell, American contemporary Christian percussionist, singer and songwriter (NewSong), was born on January 17, 19--.

Dawn Shirley (Sheree North) Crang, American actress (Breakout, Charley Varrick, Cold Dog Soup, Defenseless, How to Be Very Popular, In Love and War, Lawman, Living It Up, Madigan, Maniac Cop, Marilyn: The Untold Story, Portrait of a Stripper, Rabbit Test, The Shootist and The Trouble with Girls), was born on January 17, 1932.

John Buckner Crawford, American new wave rock singer and songwriter (Berlin), was born on January 17, 1960.

Teron David, American Gospel singer (Grits), was born on January 17, 19--.

American actress (Almost Famous, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Bridge to Terabithia, Elf, Failure to Launch, The Good Girl, The Happening, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Mumford, Raving and Tin Man) and voice-over artist (Surf's Up) Zooey Deschanel was born on January 17, 1980. Zooey Deschanel is the daughter of cinematographer Caleb Deschanel and actress Mary Jo Deschanel and sister of actress Emily Deschanel.

American rock and country music guitarist, singer and songwriter ("Guitar Town," "Hillbilly Highway," "Justice in Ontario," "Nowhere Road," "Six Days on the Road," "Squeeze Me in" and "Sweet Little 66") Stephen Fain (Steve) Earl was born on January 17, 1955.

Marjorie Augusta Gateson, American actress (Arizona Mahoney, Bureau of Missing Persons, Goin' to Town, The King's Vacation, Meet the Stewards, The Milky Way, One Life to Live, One Man's Family, Private Number, The Secret Storm and You'll Never Get Rich), was born on January 17, 1891.

Jamaican reggae musician Rexton Rawlston Fernando (Shabba Ranks) Gordon was born on January 17, 1966.

William Hart, American R&B singer (The Delfonics), was born on January 17, 1945.

American comedian, radio personality (The Steve Harvey Morning Show), voice-over artist (Racing Stripes), television personality (Steve Harvey's Big Time Challenge) and actor (Don't Trip - He Ain't Through With Me Yet, The Fighting Temptations, The Original Kings of Comedy, The Steve Harvey Show and You Got Served) Broderick Steven (Steve) Harvey was born on January 17, 1956.

American jazz pianist and songwriter George (Handy) Joseph Hendelman (The Boyd Raeburn Orchestra) was born on January 17, 1920.

Susanna Lee Hoffs, American pop guitarist and singer (The Bangles), was born on January 17, 1959.

Shari (Lewis) Phyllis Hurwitz, American puppeteer, ventriloquist and television personality (Captain Kangaroo, Hi Mom, Lamb Chop's Play-Along and The Shari Lewis Show), was born on January 17, 1933.

American R&B singer Sheila Hutchinson (The Emotions) was born on January 17, 1953.

American actor James Earl Jones (The Empire Strikes Back, Field of Dreams, The Great White Hope, The Hunt for Red October, Roots and Sneakers) and voice-over artist (The Lion King, Return of the Jedi and Star Wars) was born on January 17, 1931.

Andrew Geoffrey (Andy) Kaufman, American comedian and actor (Andy's Funhouse,God Told Me To, Heartbeeps, In God We Trust, Stick Around and Taxi), was born on January 17, 1949. Jim Carrey played Andy Kaufman in the 1999 biopic, Man in the Moon.

American singer ("Santa Baby"), voice-over artist (The Emperor's New Groove, Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story, Kronk's New Groove, My Life as a Teenage Robot and The Pink Chiquitas) and actress (And Then Came Love, Anything But Love, Batman, Boomerang, Casbah, Erik the Viking, Ernest Scared Stupid, Fatal Instinct, Friday Foster, Harriet the Spy, Holes, I Woke Up Early the Day I Died, Living Doll, Living Single, The Mark of the Hawk, Preaching to the Choir and St. Louis Blues) Eartha Mae Kitt was born on January 17, 1927.

American ballerina Nora (Kaye) Koreff (Age of Anxiety, Giselle, Pillar of Fire and Swan Lake) was born on January 17, 1920.

Joshua Charles Malina, American actor (The American President, Big Shots, Bulworth, A Few Good Men, From the Earth to the Moon, In the Line of Fire, Just Friends, Numb3rs, Sports Night, Stargate SG-1, View from the Top and The West Wing), was born on January 17, 1966.

Mexican-American singer Ezekiel Christopher (Chris Montez) Montanez ("Call Me," "Let's Dance," "She's My Rockin' Baby," "Some Kinda Fun" and "There Will Never Be Another You") was born on January 17, 1943.

Vido William Musso, Italian jazz clarinetist, saxophonist and bandleader ("Come Back to Sorrento"), was born on January 17, 1913. Vido Musso played with Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Harry James, Stan Kenton, Gene Krupa and other artists.

American rap singer William (Ray J) Norwood, Jr., was born on January 17, 1981. Ray J is the son of Gospel singer Willie Norwood. His sister is R&B singer Brandy.

Robert James (Kid Rock) Ritchie, American blues-rock and country guitarist (Twisted Brown Trucker), singer, actor (3000 Miles to Graceland, All Summer Long, Biker Boyz, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, CMT Outlaws, Hancock, Joe Dirt, Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector and Road Trip) and voice-over artist (Osmosis Jones and South Park), was born on January 17, 1971. Kid Rock was married to actress Pamela Anderson.

American actor Freddy Rodriguez (Planet Terror, Six Feet Under and Ugly Betty) was born on January 17, 1975.

Scottish ballerina and actress (Black Tights, The Man Who Loved Redheads, Peeping Tom, The Red Shoes, A Simple Man, The Story of Three Loves and The Tales of Hoffmann) Moira Shearer was born on January 17, 1926.

Michael Kevin (Mick) Taylor, British rock guitarist (John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers and The Rolling Stones), was born on January 17, 1949.

American singer, television personality (Just Men,The Match Game, Password and What's My Line) and actress (The Betty White Show, The Bold and the Beautiful, Boston Legal, The Golden Girls, The Happy Homemaker, The John Larroquette Show, Ladies Man, Mama's Family and The Mary Tyler Moore Show) Betty Marion White was born on January 17, 1922.

Amanda Nichole Wilkinson, Canadian country music singer (The Wilkinsons), was born on January 17, 1982.

Paul Antony Young, British pop singer ("Don't Dream It's Over," "Every Time You Go Away," "Love of the Common People," "Love Will Tear Us Apart," "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" and "Wherever I Lay My Hat in - That's My Home"), was born on January 17, 1956.

January 17th Birthdays: Famous World (and Other) Leaders

Mexican President Luis Echeverria Alvarez was born on January 17, 1922.

Alfonse (Al or Scarface) Capone, American gangster and bootlegger, was born on January 17, 1899. The notorious Al Capone has been the subject of many films, including the 1987 crime drama, The Untouchables.

Benjamin Franklin, American Founding Father, author (Poor Richard's Almanack), scientist and diplomat, was born on January 17, 1706. Benjamin Franklin invented bifocal eyeglasses, the lightning rod and the Franklin wood stove. (CTRL-click here to read a sampling of famous quotations from Benjamin Franklin online in a new window.)

British Prime Minister David Lloyd George was born on January 17, 1863.

Michelle Obama, American First Lady (to 44^th U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama, II), was born on January 17, 1964.

Polish King Stanislaw II was born on January 17, 1732.

Do you know any others who are celebrating birthdays on January 17th?

If you know additional notable people (including yourself) who may be celebrating a birthday on January 17th, please indicate so in a comment below. Thank you!

Happy Birthday, January 17th.

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