Famous people and celebrities born in 1901

We celebrate the remarkable individuals born in 1901. This year gave rise to a new generation of talent, including actors, musicians, athletes, politicians and more who have significantly impacted our world. Dive into the stories of these famous personalities, explore their journeys, and see how they've shaped culture and society since their birth year. Join us as we take a nostalgic trip back to 1901 and honor the stars who continue to shine brightly today.

Jan. 4 C. L. R. James
C. L. R. James was a prominent Trinidadian historian, journalist, and political activist who made significant contributions to postcolonial thought and cricket writing. He was a key intellectual in the Pan-African movement and wrote extensively on socialism, colonialism, and Caribbean culture.
Jan. 14 Bebe Daniels
Bebe Daniels was a prominent American actress and entertainer who transitioned from silent films to talkies, appearing in over 200 short films and later becoming known for her patriotic service during World War II.
Feb. 1 Clark Gable
Legendary Hollywood actor known as 'the king of Hollywood', Clark Gable was a prominent male star who won an Oscar for 'It Happened One Night' and famously played Rhett Butler in 'Gone with the Wind'. His career spanned from Broadway to iconic film roles in the 1930s and 1940s.
Feb. 2 Jascha Heifetz
Jascha Heifetz was a legendary Lithuanian-American violinist considered one of the greatest classical musicians of the 20th century. He revolutionized violin performance with his extraordinary technical precision and emotional depth. His prodigious talent was evident from childhood, making him a global sensation by his early teens. [bio]
Feb. 9 Brian Donlevy
Prominent American actor of Irish descent known for his roles in classic films, particularly in film noir and western genres during the mid-20th century.
Feb. 10 Stella Adler
Stella Adler was a pioneering American actress and acting teacher who significantly influenced modern acting techniques. She was a key member of the Group Theatre and trained many famous actors, including Marlon Brando. Her acting school and method became foundational in American dramatic arts.
Feb. 16 Chester Morris
Chester Morris was a prominent American actor known for his roles in films during the 1930s and 1940s, particularly in the Boston Blackie detective film series.
Feb. 25 Zeppo Marx
Zeppo Marx was the youngest of the famous Marx Brothers comedy team, known for his supporting roles in their early comedy films and later working as a theatrical agent and businessman.
March 5 Louis Kahn
Renowned American architect and academic who was one of the most influential architects of the 20th century. His innovative designs and philosophical approach to architecture significantly impacted modern architectural theory and practice.
April 5 Melvyn Douglas
Melvyn Douglas was a renowned Hollywood actor who won two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor in 'Hud' and 'Being There'. He had a distinguished career spanning several decades in film and television.
April 13 Jacques Lacan
Influential French psychoanalyst who significantly reinterpreted Freudian theory and became a major intellectual figure in 20th-century psychology. He revolutionized psychoanalysis through his complex linguistic and philosophical approach to understanding human subjectivity. His seminars and writings profoundly impacted critical theory, philosophy, and cultural studies.
May 1 Sterling Brown
Sterling Brown was a prominent African American poet, literary critic, and academic who significantly contributed to the Harlem Renaissance and African American literary studies.
May 1 Simon Kuznets
Simon Kuznets was a Nobel Prize-winning economist who made groundbreaking contributions to economic growth theory and national income accounting.
May 7 Gary Cooper
Legendary Hollywood actor of the Golden Age, Gary Cooper was a prominent leading man known for his iconic roles in Western and war films. He won an Academy Award for his performance in 'Sergeant York' and was nominated for several other prestigious acting awards. Cooper was one of the most recognizable and respected actors of his era.
May 14 Witold Pilecki
A heroic Polish resistance fighter during World War II who voluntarily entered Auschwitz concentration camp to gather intelligence about Nazi atrocities. He was the first to provide detailed reports about the Holocaust to the Western Allies. After the war, he was executed by the communist regime for his resistance activities.
May 24 José Nasazzi
José Nasazzi was a legendary Uruguayan footballer and national team captain, known for his exceptional defensive skills and leadership during the golden era of Uruguayan football in the 1920s and 1930s.
June 10 Frederick Loewe
Frederick Loewe was a renowned American composer famous for his Broadway musicals, most notably 'My Fair Lady'. He formed a legendary partnership with lyricist Alan Jay Lerner, creating some of the most celebrated musical theater works of the 20th century.
June 18 Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia
Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna was the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, last sovereign of Imperial Russia. Her tragic fate during the Russian Revolution and the persistent myths about her potential survival have made her a legendary historical figure.
June 29 Nelson Eddy
Nelson Eddy was a renowned American baritone singer and Hollywood musical film star of the 1930s and 1940s. He was famous for his romantic musical films with Jeanette MacDonald, including classics like 'Rose Marie' and 'New Moon'. His performances were immensely popular in films, radio, and live performances.
July 1 Irna Phillips
Pioneering American television screenwriter who revolutionized the soap opera genre by creating iconic daytime dramas 'Guiding Light' and 'As the World Turns'.
July 8 Vittorio De Sica
Renowned Italian film director, actor, and screenwriter who was a key figure in the Neorealist cinema movement, famous for films like 'Bicycle Thieves'.
July 28 Rudy Vallee
Rudy Vallee was a prominent American singer and actor of the 1920s and 1930s, known for pioneering the crooning style and becoming one of the first multimedia entertainment stars of the early sound era.
Aug. 5 Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong was a legendary jazz trumpeter, singer, and bandleader who revolutionized jazz music and became a global cultural icon. Known as 'Satchmo', he was instrumental in developing jazz improvisation and influenced generations of musicians worldwide. [bio]
Aug. 9 Charles Farrell
American actor known for his role in the popular TV series 'My Little Margie', who was active during the golden age of Hollywood and television.
Aug. 9 Ernest Lawrence
Renowned American nuclear physicist and Nobel Prize winner who played a crucial role in the Manhattan Project and development of the cyclotron.
Aug. 26 Tullio Campagnolo
Renowned Italian bicycle component inventor who revolutionized cycling technology by creating the quick-release skewer, enabling faster wheel changes for professional cyclists.
Aug. 30 Roy Wilkins
Roy Wilkins was a prominent civil rights leader who served as executive director of the NAACP from 1955 to 1977, playing a crucial role in advancing racial equality in the United States.
Sept. 5 Florence Eldridge
Renowned Broadway actress known for her theatrical performances, particularly in 'Long Day's Journey into Night', who had a significant career in theater during the mid-20th century.
Sept. 25 Robert Bresson
Robert Bresson was a renowned French film director known for his austere and minimalist cinematographic style. He created 14 influential films over 40 years, primarily during and after World War II, and is considered a key figure in the French New Wave cinema movement. His work was deeply influenced by Jansenist philosophy, exploring profound human experiences through a stark and …
Sept. 26 George Raft
Iconic Hollywood actor known for his tough-guy roles in gangster films like Scarface, famous for his distinctive style and association with film noir and crime movies.
Sept. 28 Ed Sullivan
Legendary television host of 'The Ed Sullivan Show', a groundbreaking variety program that introduced many iconic performers to American audiences from 1948 to 1971.
Sept. 30 Enrico Fermi
Nobel Prize-winning Italian physicist who made fundamental contributions to quantum theory, nuclear physics, and the development of the first nuclear reactor.
Oct. 11 Alberto Giacometti
Alberto Giacometti was a world-renowned Swiss sculptor, painter, and graphic artist, famous for his distinctive elongated human figures that revolutionized modern art.
Nov. 4 Andre Malraux
Influential French novelist, art theorist, and minister of cultural affairs who was a key intellectual figure of the 20th century, known for works like 'La Condition Humaine'.
Nov. 4 Spyridon Marinatos
Renowned Greek archaeologist who made significant contributions to understanding Minoan civilization through his groundbreaking excavations at Akrotiri, a prehistoric settlement on Santorini preserved by volcanic ash.
Nov. 25 Rudolf Höss
Nazi SS officer and commandant of Auschwitz concentration camp, responsible for overseeing the systematic murder of over one million people during the Holocaust. He was a key architect of the Nazi genocide and was later tried and executed for war crimes.
Nov. 28 Edwina Mountbatten
Edwina Mountbatten was a prominent British aristocrat and humanitarian who served as the last Vicereine of India alongside her husband Lord Louis Mountbatten during the final years of British colonial rule. She was known for her philanthropic work and her significant social and political influence during a transformative period in British and Indian history.
Nov. 29 Mildred Harris
Mildred Harris was a prominent silent film actress during the early 20th century, known for her roles in numerous films during the golden age of Hollywood's silent era.
Dec. 6 Werner Heisenberg
Renowned German theoretical physicist who made fundamental contributions to quantum mechanics and was a key figure in the development of quantum theory.
Dec. 16 Margaret Mead
A pioneering American cultural anthropologist who revolutionized understanding of human behavior across different societies. Her groundbreaking research in the South Pacific challenged Western assumptions about gender, sexuality, and cultural development. She was a prominent public intellectual who significantly influenced social sciences and popular understanding of anthropology.
Dec. 27 Marlene Dietrich
Iconic German-American actress and singer who was a major international star during Hollywood's golden age. She was renowned for her androgynous style, powerful performances, and significant contributions during World War II by entertaining Allied troops. Her legendary status transcended cinema, making her a cultural symbol of resilience and artistic innovation. [bio]