May 3: Today's Notable Birthdays

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

(If someone you love is celebrating another year today, why not forward this list to the birthday boy or girl? Click SHARE at the bottom of this page to email the entire article with your "Happy Birthday" message.)

May 3rd was the birth date of several notable (or even notorious) individuals. Here they are:

May 3rd Birthdays: Famous Artists

Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps, French painter (Defeat of the Cimbri, Joseph Sold by His Brethren, Moses Taken from the Nile and The Turkish Patrol), was born on May 3, 1831.

British composer Jonathan David Harvey (Bhakti and Music of Stockhausen) was born on May 3, 1939.

Joseph (Joe Layton) Lichtman, American choreographer (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and film director (Androcles and the Lion, Annie, For the Boys, The Littlest Angel, Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip and Thoroughly Modern Millie), was born on May 3, 1931.

May 3rd Birthdays: Famous Athletes

Joseph (Joe) Addai, Jr., American professional football player, was born on May 3, 1983. Joe Addai played for the Indianapolis Colts.

Vera Caslavska, Czechoslovakian gymnast and Olympic gold medalist (1964 and 1968), was born on May 3, 1942.

Nona Gaprindasvili, Russian chessmaster, was born on May 3, 1941.

American professional basketball player Garfield (Gar) Heard was born on May 3, 1948. Gar Heard played for the Buffalo Braves, Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns, San Diego Chargers and Seattle SuperSonics and coached the Philadelphia 76ers.

American professional hockey player Rod Cory Langway was born on May 3, 1957. Rod Langway played for the Birmingham Bulls, Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals.

David Earle (Davey) Lopes, American professional baseball player and coach, was born on May 3, 1946. Davey Lopes played for the Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics and coached the Milwaukee Brewers.

American professional baseball player Charles Herbert (Red) Ruffing was born on May 3, 1904. Red Ruffing played for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees.

American world champion boxer Walker (Sugar Ray Robinson) Smith was born on May 3, 1920.

Allen Wells, British runner and Olympic gold medalist (1980), was born on May 3, 1952.

May 3rd Birthdays: Famous Authors and Journalists

Norman Lewis Corwin, American journalist, educator and author (An American in England, Columbia Presents Corwin, Columbia Workshop, More by Corwin, On a Note of Triumph, Twenty-Six by Corwin and We Hold These Truths), was born on May 3, 1910.

American television sportscaster Greg Gumbel (College Basketball on CBS, Gumbel 2 Gumble on NBC, MLB on NBC, NFL on CBS and The NFL Today) was born on May 3, 1946. Greg Gumbel's brother is television newscaster Bryant Gumbel.

Edgar Watson (E. W.) Howe, American journalist, editor (E.W. Howe's Monthly, Globe-Journal, Golden Eagle and Golden Globe) and author (Story of a Country Town and Ventures in Common Sense), was born on May 3, 1853.

William Motter Inge, American playwright (Bus Stop, Come Back Little Sheba and Picnic)

and Pulitzer Prize winner (1953), was born on May 3, 1913.

Danish-American social reformer, journalist (New York Evening Sun and New York Tribune) and author (How the Other Half Lives and The Making of an American) Jacob August Riis was born on May 3, 1849.

Eleanore Marie Sarton, American poet and author (Honey in the Hive, The Poet and the Donkey, The Small Room and A Walk Through the Woods), was born on May 3, 1912.

American journalist (New York Post) and author (The Show Business Nobody Knows) Earl Wilson was born on May 3, 1907. Earl Wilson became popular for his syndicated gossip columns, It Happened Last Night and Last Night with Earl Wilson, which ran from the 1940s to the 1980s. Father to songwriter Earl Wilson, Jr., Earl Wilson appeared in several films, including Beach Blanket Bingo, College Confidential, Copacabana and A Face in the Crowd.

May 3rd Birthdays: Famous Business Leaders

Damon Dash, American entertainment executive (Dash Films and Roc-a-Fella Records), was born on May 3, 1971.

Richard D'Oyly Carte, British musical theater producer, was born on May 3, 1844. Richard E'Oyly Carte founded the British Savoy Theatre.

May 3rd Birthdays: Famous Performers

American pop singer Joe Ames (The Ames Brothers) was born on May 3, 1921. Joe Ames' brothers included singers Ed Ames, Gene Ames and Vic Ames.

Dave Ball, British rock keyboardist (Soft Cell), was born on May 3, 1959.

American soul singer James Brown was born on May 3, 1928. Known as The Godfather of Soul, James Brown recorded several hit songs, including "Hot Pants," "I Got You - I Feel Good," "It's a Man's Man's Man's World," "Living in America," "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" and "Please Please Please."

Cheryl Bautista Burke, American dancer and television personality (Dancing with the Stars), was born on May 3, 1984. On Dancing with the Stars, Cheryl Burke has competed with such dance partners as Cristian de la Fuenta, Maurice Green, Drew Lachey, Gilles Marini, Wayne Newton, Emmitt Smith and Ian Ziering.

American actor Robert M. (Bobby) Cannavale was born on May 3, 1971. Bobby Cannavale has appeared in 100 Centre Street, Ally McBeal, The Bone Collector, The Guru, Kingpin, Night Falls on Manhattan, Romance & Cigarettes, Shall We Dance, Snakes on a Plane, Third Watch and Will & Grace. Bobby Cannavale was married to actress Jenny Lumet (daughter of actor Sidney Lumet and granddaughter of singer Lena Horne).

Francesco Stephen (Frankie Valli) Castellucio, American pop singer (Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons) and actor (Grease), was born on May 3, 1937. Frankie Valli's most popular songs included "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," "December '63 - Oh What a Night," "Grease," "Let's Hang On," "My Eyes Adored You," "Rag Doll," "Sherry" and "Swearin' to God."

American country music singer Kenneth Eric Church was born on May 3, 1977. Eric Church's most popular songs include "Guys Like Me," "His Kind of Money - My Kind of Love," ""How 'Bout You," ""Love Your Love the Most" and "Two Pink Lines."

Jimmy Cleveland, American jazz trombonist (Jai and Kai Octet), was born on May 3, 1926. Jimmy Cleveland performed with James Brown, Miles Davis, Gigi Gryce, Lionel Hampton, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Quincy Jones, Thelonious Monk, Oscar Peterson, Oscar Pettiford, Lucky Thompson, Sarah Vaughan and other jazz artists.

Betty Comden Cohen, American screenwriter (It's Always Fair Weather, On the Town and Singin' in the Rain), songwriter ("Bells are Ringing") and actress (Garbo Talks, Greenwich Village, Slaves of New York and That Was the Week That Was), was born on May 3, 1917. Betty Comden wrote many popular songs in collaboration with songwriting partner Adolph Green.

American actress Ann Bradford Davis was born on May 3, 1926. Ann B. Davis appeared on The Bob Cummings Show and The Brady Bunch.

Marcel Dupre, French organist, was born on May 3, 1886.

American classical organist Virgil Keel Fox was born on May 3, 1912.

Christopher Cross Geppert, American singer, songwriter and Academy Award winner (1981), was born on May 3, 1951. Christopher Cross' most popular songs included "Arthur's Theme - The Best That You Can Do," "Ride Like the Wind," "Sailing," "Say You'll Be Mine" and "Think of Laura."

American rock bassist Bruce Hall (REO Speedwagon) was born on May 3, 1953.

Doug Henning, Canadian magician, illusionist, escape artist and television personality (The Magic Show and The World of Magic), was born on May 3, 1947.

American actor Karim Dule Hill (Holes, Psych, She's All That and The West Wing) was born on May 3, 1975.

Mary Hopkin, Welsh rock singer ("Goodbye," " If You Love Me," "Temma Harbour" and "Those Were the Days"), was born on May 3, 1950.

American actor Jack La Rue, Sr., was born on May 3, 1902. Father to actor Jack La Rue, Jr., Jack La Rue, Sr., appeared in, Captains Courageous, Charlie Chan in Panama, Christopher Strong, Dakota, The Desert Song, A Farewell to Arms, Footsteps in the Dark, For Heaven's Sake, Lights Out, Mouthpiece, Murder in the Music Hall, My Favorite Brunette, Remember Last Night, Road to Utopia, Robin and the 7 Hoods, The Sea Hawk, The Spanish Main, Special Agent, The Story of Temple Drake, To the Last Man and Virtue.

Brad Martin, American country music singer, was born on May 3, 1973. Brad Martin's most popular songs include "Before I Knew Better," "Just Like Love," "One of Those Days," "On the Wings of a Honky Tonk Angel" and ""Rub Me the Right Way."

American rock guitarist and singer Van McLain (Shooting Star) was born on May 3, 1953.

Shane Minor, American country music singer ("I Think You're Beautiful," "Ordinary Love" and "Slave to the Habit") and songwriter ("Beautiful Mess" and "Brand New Girlfriend"), was born on May 3, 1968. Shane Minor has written songs for Diamond Rio, Steve Holy and other country music artists.

American country music singer Cactus Moser (Highway 101) was born on May 3, 1957.

John Neff, American alternative rock and country music guitarist (Drive-By Truckers), was born on May 3, 1972.

American country music singer David Darwin (Dave Dudley) Pedruska was born on May 3, 1928. Dave Dudley performed with the Country Gentlemen, The Dave Dudley Trio and The Roadrunners. As a solo artist, his most popular songs included "Fireball Rolled a Seven," "Me and ol' C.B.," "Six Days on the Road," "Truck Drivin' Son-of-a-Gun" and "Vietnam Blues."

Pete Seeger, American folk singer and songwriter (The Almanac Singers and The Weavers), was born on May 3, 1919. Pete Seeger's most famous songs included "Goodnight Irene," "If I Had a Hammer," "Little Boxes," "Turn Turn Turn" and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone."

British rock bassist Peter Lawrence (Pete) Staples was born on May 3, 1944. Pete Staples performed with The Troggs.

Marina Svetlova, Russian ballerina (Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo), was born on May 3, 1922.

May 3rd Birthdays: Famous Scientists

British electron physicist and Nobel Prize winner (1937) Sir George Paget Thomson was born on May 3, 1892.

Vito Volterra, Italian mathematician and physicist (Lotka-Volterra Equations), was born on May 3, 1860.

May 3rd Birthdays: Famous World (and Other) Leaders

Charles XV Louis, King of Sweden and Norway, was born on May 3, 1826.

Niccolo Machiavelli, Italian socio-political philosopher, statesman and author (Dell' Arte Della Guerra - On the Art of War, Istorie Fiorentine - History of Florence, Mandragola and Il Principe - The Prince), was born on May 3, 1469. The political philosophy known as Machiavellianism is based on the writings of Niccolo Machiavelli.

Israeli Prime Minister Golda Mabovitch Meir was born on May 3, 1989. Golda Meir's published works included A Land of Our Own and This Is Our Strength.

Do you know any others who are celebrating birthdays on May 3rd?

If you know additional notable people (including yourself) who may be celebrating a birthday on May 3rd, please indicate so in a comment below. Thank you!

Happy Birthday, May 3rd.

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