Happy birthday to entertainers like Julie Newmar, Madonna, and Steve Carell! Keep on reading to see who else is celebrating their birthday and some career highlights!
Actress Julie Newmar (1933) took home the Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Play for "The Marriage-Go-Round" and created Catwoman on TV's "Batman" in a costume the Smithsonian now owns. She came back 50 years later to voice Catwoman in "Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders" and "Batman vs. Two-Face."
Actor Reginald VelJohnson (1952) is the cop on the other end of the radio in "Die Hard" and spent the '90s anchoring "Family Matters" as Carl Winslow. He took a turn on "Dancing With the Stars" and showed up for the holiday edition of "Celebrity Weakest Link."
TV host Kathie Lee Gifford (1953) got her name into the title of "Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee" and later brought the wine to the fourth hour of "Today." She wrote "I Want to Matter" and followed it with "Nero and Paul: How the Gospel of Grace Defeated the Ruler of Rome."
Director James Cameron (1954) turned "The Terminator" into his breakthrough and kept the streak going with "Aliens" and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." He shouted "I'm the king of the world!" while collecting Best Director for "Titanic," launched the "Avatar" franchise, and is back in it with "Avatar: Fire and Ash."
Actress Angela Bassett (1958) picked up her first Oscar nomination for "What's Love Got to Do with It" and followed it with "Waiting to Exhale." She's played Queen Ramonda since "Black Panther," took home an honorary Oscar, and still badges up as Athena Grant on "9-1-1."
Singer Madonna (1958) broke through with "Madonna," rolled around the stage at the first MTV Video Music Awards in a wedding dress, and turned "Like a Virgin" and "True Blue" into chart-topping albums. She won a Golden Globe for "Evita," wrapped the Celebration Tour, and opened the first FIFA World Cup final halftime show with "Music."
Actor-comedian Steve Carell (1962) came up as a correspondent on "The Daily Show" and held the World's Best Boss mug as Michael Scott on "The Office." He got an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for "Foxcatcher," made his Broadway debut in "Uncle Vanya," and played Nick on "The Four Seasons."
Director-actor Taika Waititi (1975) made his feature directing debut with "Eagle vs Shark" and backed it up with "Boy" and "What We Do in the Shadows." He directed "Thor: Ragnarok," won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for "Jojo Rabbit" and played an imaginary Hitler in it, and directed the Disney holiday short "Best Christmas Ever."
Actor Gary Clarke (1933), Singer-actress Ketty Lester (1934), Actor-director Pierre Richard (1934), Actress-singer Anita Gillette (1936), Journalist Trevor McDonald (1939), Director Bruce Beresford (1940), Actor-director Bob Balaban (1945), Ballerina Suzanne Farrell (1945), Actress-singer Lesley Ann Warren (1946), Musician Joey Spampinato of NRBQ (1948), Actor Marshall Manesh (1950), Singer J.T. Taylor of Kool & the Gang (1953), Actor Jeff Perry (1955), Musician Tim Farriss of INXS (1957), Actress-director Laura Innes (1957), Actor Timothy Hutton (1960), Football player Christian Okoye (1961), Actor Andy Milder (1969), Actor Seth Peterson (1970), Musician Emily Strayer of the Chicks (1972), Actor George Stults (1975), Singer Vanessa Carlton (1980), Actor Cam Gigandet (1982), Musician Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes (1985), Actress Cristin Milioti (1985), Baseball player Yu Darvish (1986), Actor Shawn Pyfrom (1986), Singer Ashton Shepherd (1986), Singer Dan Smyers of Dan + Shay (1987), Actress Rumer Willis (1988), Actress Evanna Lynch (1991), Rapper Young Thug (1991), Actor Cameron Monaghan (1993), Basketball player Sophie Cunningham (1996), Singer Greyson Chance (1997)
Actress Ann Blyth (1928–2026)
Trivia, nostalgia, and pop-culture deep dives — straight to your inbox.
