January 17th Birthdays

If you were born on this day January 17th you share a celebrity birthday with these famous people:

Maury Povich (nee Maurice Richard Povich; married Connie Chung)

American TV news anchor (Fox News), sportscaster, television talk show host (A Current Affair; The Maury Povich Show; Maury; Weekends with Maury and Connie; The Imagemaker), and game show host (Twenty One), born January 17, 1939. (Maury Povich 2007 Photo: Firepecmox)

Kipchoge Keino

World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame Kenyan runner, and 4-time Olympic gold & silver medalist (1968 Mexico City – 1500 metres gold & 5000 metres silver; 1972 Munich – 3000 metres steeple gold & 1500 metres silver), born January 17, 1940. (Kipchoge Keino 1973 Photo)

Randy Boone (nee Clyde Randall Boone)

American singer, actor of TV (Vern Hodges on It’s a Man’s World; Randy Benton on The Virginian; Francis Wilde on Cimarron Strip; Wagon Train; Hondo) and movies (Country Boy; Terminal Island; The Wild Pair; Dr. Minx), born January 17, 1942. (Randy Boone 1967 Cimarron Strip Photo: CBS Television)

Jane Elliot

Daytime Emmy-winning American actress of TV soaps (Tracy Quartermaine on General Hospital since 1978; Days of Our Lives; Guiding Light; All My Children; Knot’s Landing; Rosetti and Ryan; A Flame in the Wind) and movies (A Change of Habit), born January 17, 1947. (Jane Elliot 1970 Dan August)

Debbie Watson (nee Deborah Lynn Watson)

American actress of stage, TV (Karen Scott on Karen; Tammy Tarleton on Tammy; The Virginian; Love, American Style) and movies (Munster, Go Home!; The Cool Ones; Tammy and the Millionaire; Dylan Thomas), born January 17, 1949. (Debbie Watson 1966 Munster Go Home Univesal Trailer)

Steve Earle (nee Stephen Fain Earle)

Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, country rock singer-songwriter (Copperhead Road; Guitar Town; Goodbye’s All We’ve Got Left; Nowhere Road; Six Days on the Road; Hillbilly Highway), and actor of TV (The Wire; Treme), born January 17, 1955. (Steve Earle 1987 Photo: .MCA Records)

Paul Young 

English rock singer-songwriter (Every Time You Go Away; Oh Girl; I’m Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down; What Becomes of the Brokenhearted; Come Back and Stay; Love of the Common People; Love Will Tear Us Apart; Wherever I Lay My Hat), born January 17, 1956. (Paul Young 2017 Photo: James Hole)

Steve Harvey (nee Broderick Stephen Harvey)

Daytime Emmy Award-winning American stand-up comedian, producer, actor and host of radio (The Steve Harvey Morning Show) and TV (Me and the Boys; Steve; Family Feud; Celebrity Family Feud; The Steve Harvey Show; Miss Universe), born January 17, 1957. (Steve Harvey 2013 Photo: Angela George)

Susanna Hoffs (married Jay Roach)

American guitarist, songwriter (I Need a Disguise), singer and co-founder of The Bangles (Manic Monday; Walk Like an Egyptian; Eternal Flame; In Your Room; Walking Down Your Street; Hazy Shade of Winter), and actress (The Allnighter) born January 17, 1959. (Susanna Hoffs 2008 Photo: Jeaneeem) 

Jim Carrey (nee James Eugene Carrey; ex of Lauren Holly)

Canadian-American comedian, actor of TV (In Living Color) & films (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective; The Mask; Dumb and Dumber; Batman Forever; The Cable Guy; Liar Liar; The Truman Show; The Majestic; The Dead Pool), born January 17, 1962. Ex-partner of Jenny McCarthy. (Jim Carrey 2010: Roypack)

Michelle Obama nee Michelle LaVaughn Robinson)

American lawyer, business executive (University of Chicago Hospitals), married Barack Obama, First Lady (White House Kitchen Garden, healthy eating, Let’s Move!), pop culture fashion icon & role model, & author (Becoming), born January 17, 1964. (Michelle Obama 2013: Chuck Kennedy)

Naveen Andrews (ex-partner of Barbara Hershey)

British-American actor of TV (Sayid on Lost; Jonas on Sens8; Sinbad) and movies (The English Patient; Bride & Prejudice; The Brave One; Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love; Drowning on Dry Land; Mighty Joe Young; Bombay Boys), born January 17, 1969. (Naveen Andrews 2006 Photo: Kanaka’s Paradise Life)

(Shari Lewis & Lambchop 1961 | Betty White and St. Bernard Dog Stormy 1954)

Happy Birthday to everyone celebrating their birthday on January 17th!

Remember These January 17th Famous Birthdays

James Earl Jones (married Cecilia Hart; ex of Julienne Marie)

Emmy & Tony Award-winning American voice-over artist & actor of Broadway, movies (Darth Vader in Star Wars; The Lion King; Field of Dreams; The Great White Hope; Patriot Games; Claudine; The Man) and TV (Gabriel’s Fire; Guiding Light; As the World Turns), and Korean War veteran (born Jan. 17, 1931 – died Sept. 9, 2024; age 93). (James Earl Jones 1979: CBS [colorized])

Betty White (ex of Allen Ludden)

Emmy Award-winning American actress of TV (The Betty White Show, Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls, Elka Ostrovsky on Hot in Cleveland; Ellen Harper Jackson on Mama’s Family; Ladies Man) & films (Lake Placid; Hard Rain; The Proposal) (born Jan. 17, 1922 – died Dec. 31, 2021; age 99). (Betty White 1957 Date with the Angels) 

Muhammad Ali (nee Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; “The Greatest“)

American 1960 Olympics light heavyweight gold medalist amateur boxer, professional World Heavyweight Boxing Champion (1964-1967; 1974-1977), actor, spoken word poet, and civil rights activist (born Jan. 17, 1942 – died June 3, 2016; age 74). Muhammad Ali had Parkinson’s Disease and died of septic shock. (Muhammad Ali 1967 Photo: Ira Rosenberg)

Benjamin Franklin 

American printer, publisher (The Pennsylvania Gazette), author (Poor Richard’s Almanack), abolitionist, statesman (U.S. Postmaster-General; Declaration of Independence; founder of Philadelphia institutions), researcher & inventor (bifocal glasses; lightning rod) (born Jan. 17, 1706 – died Apr. 17, 1790; age 84) (Benjamin Franklin c. 1785: Joseph-Siffred Duplessis) 

Shari Lewis (nee Sonia Phyllis Hurwitz)

American musician, author, producer, children’s entertainer, actress, ventriloquist, puppeteer (Lamb Chop, Hush Puppy), and host of stage & TV (The Shari Lewis Show; The Shari Show; Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade; Kartoon Klub; Shariland) (born Jan. 17, 1933 – died Aug. 2, 1998; age 65). Shari Lewis died of uterine cancer. (Shari Lewis 1960 The Ford Show Photo)

Noah Beery Sr. (brother of Wallace Beery; father of Noah Beery Jr.)

American character actor of vaudeville stages and movies (The Sea Wolf; Mutiny on the Blackhawk; The Red Lantern; The Call of the North; Riders of the Purple Sage; The Thundering Herd; Sunset Pass; The Light of Western Stars; Adventures of Red Ryder; Wild Horse Mesa), (born Jan. 17, 1882 – died Apr. 1, 1946; age 64). Noah Beery died of a heart attack. (Noah Beery 1930’s Photo) 

Vidal Sassoon

British-American philanthropist, hair stylist (the geometric bob), businessman (Vidal Sassoon hair care products, salons), and co-founder of Paul Mitchell Systems hair products (born Jan. 17, 1928 – died May 9, 2012; age 84). Cause of death for Vidal Sassoon was leukaemia. (Vidal Sassoon 2006 Photo: The weaver at German Wikipedia)

Sheree North (nee Dawn Shirley Crang; aka Shirley Mae Bessire)

American singer-dancer-actress of stage, films (The Trouble With Girls; Madigan; The Outfit; The Shootist; How to Be Very, Very Popular; The Lieutenant Wore Skirts; No Down Payment; In Love and War; Lawman; Mardi Gras), & TV (Big Eddie; I’m a Big Girl Now; Bay City Blues) (born Jan. 17, 1932 – died Nov. 4, 2005; age 73). (Sheree North 1975 Big Eddie Photo: CBS Television

Jacques Plante (nee Joseph Jacques Omer Plante)

Hockey Hall of Fame French-Canadian NHL goaltender (Montreal Canadiens; New York Rangers; St. Louis Blues; Toronto Maple Leafs; Boston Bruins), pioneer of the goalie facemask, WHA Quebec Nordiques coach and GM (born Jan. 17, 1929 – died Feb. 27, 1986; age 57). Jacques Plante had terminal stomach cancer before he died. (Jacques Plante 1948 Photo)

Grant Withers (nee Granville G. Withers; ex of Loretta Young)

American actor of TV (Zane Grey Theater) & films (The Fighting Seabees; The Second Floor Mystery; Too Young to Marry; Jungle Jim; Mr. Wong, Detective films; A Lady Takes a Chance; In Old Oklahoma; Yellow Rose of Texas) (born Jan. 17, 1905 – died Apr. 26, 1959; age 74). Grant Withers died by suicide (barbiturate overdose). (Grant Withers 1941 Phantom of Chinatown)

Eartha Kitt (nee Eartha Mae Keith)

Daytime Emmy Award-winning American peace activist, singer (Santa Baby; C’est Si Bon; Where is My Man), character & voice over actress of TV (The Emperor’s New School; Catwoman on Batman) and movies (Anna Lucasta; St. Louis Blues; Dragonard;) (born Jan. 17, 1927 – died Dec. 25, 2008; age 81). Eartha Kitt died of colon cancer. (Eartha Kitt 1973 Photo: Allan Warren)

Nevil Shute (nee Nevil Shute Norway)

English-Australian aeronautical engineer, airplane manufacturer (co founder of Airspeed Ltd.), & novelist (A Town Like Alice; On the Beach; The Far Country; Lonely Road; The Seafarers; Pied Piper; Crossing to Freedom; No Highway) (born Jan. 17, 1899 – died Jan. 12, 1960; age 60). Nevil Shute had a stroke before he died. (Neville Shute 1949 Photo: Australian Women’s Weekly)

Mack Sennett (nee Michael Sinnott)

Academy Award-winning Canadian-American slapstick comedy film pioneer, actor, director & producer of 1000+ movies and short films (Keystone Cops movies; The Water Nymph; The Timid Young Man; The Fatal Mallet), founder of Keystone Studios, known for Mack Sennett Bathing Beauties (born Jan. 17, 1880 – died Nov. 5, 1960; age 80). (Mack Sennett 1910: John Belasco) 

Carl Laemmle (nee Karl Lämmle; “Uncle Carl”; father of Carl Laemmle Jr.)

Oscar-winning German-American pioneering theatre owner & movie producer (All Quiet on the Western Front; The Phantom of the Opera), owner & co-founder of Laemmle Film Service and Universal Pictures (Independent Moving Pictures Company / IMP;  Universal Film Manufacturing Company), (born Jan. 17, 1867 – died Sept. 24, 1939; age 72). (Carl Laemmle 1907)

Paul Stevens

American actor of TV (Brian Bancroft on Another World; The Nurses; The Doctors and the Nurses; Mission: Impossible; The Defenders; Mannix; Naked City; Gunsmoke; Police Story; Hawaii Five-O) and movies (The Mask; Marlowe; Battle for the Planet of the Apes) (born Jan. 17, 1921 – died June 4, 1986; age 65). Cause of death for Paul Stevens is unknown. (Paul Stevens 1977 Photo: NBC)

Patricia Owens (ex of Sy Bartlett)

Canadian-American actress o TV (Burke’s Law) and movies (Sayonara; The Fly; Walk a Tightrope; The Law and Jake Wade; The Gun Runners; The Destructors; Five Gates to Hell; Hell to Eternity; These Thousand Hills; Windfall; Crow Hollow; Bait; Island in the Sun) (born Jan. 17, 1925 – died Aug. 31, 2000; age 75). Patricia Owens died of cancer. (Patricia Owens 1957 No Down Payment)

Nils Asther (ex of Vivian Duncan)

Swedish actor of silent films (Our Dancing Daughters; The Single Standard; Wild Orchids) & classic movies (The Crime Doctor; The Bitter Tea of General Yen; Letty Lynton; The Man in Half Moon Street; By Candlelight; Madame Spy; Make-Up; The Night of January 16th; Mystery Broadcast; Bluebeard) (born Jan. 17, 1897 – died Oct. 13, 1981; age 84). (Nils Asther 1927: Irving Chidnoff)

Dehl Berti

Chiricahua Apache Native American actor of TV (John Taylor on Paradise; Buck James; The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin; The Edge of Night; Bat Masterson; Mission: Impossible; The Texan; The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp) and movies (Seven Alone; Apache Warrior) (born Jan. 17, 1921 – died Nov. 26, 1991; age 70). Dehl Berti died of a heart attack. (Dehl Berti 1959 Tombstone Territory)

Anne Cornwall (married Charles Maigne)

American 1925 WAMPAS Baby Star, silent film actress (The Rainbow Trail; The Flaming Frontier; The Arizona Express; The Girl; The Eyes of the Totem; The Wrongdoers; The Heart of the Yukon; Under Western Skies; The Splendid Crime; Her Gilded Cage; La La Lucille; Racing Blood; The Roughneck) (born Jan. 17, 1897 – died Mar. 2, 1980; age 83). (Anne Cornwall 1925 Photo: Hartsook)

David Torrence (nee David Tayson; brother of Ernest Torrence)

Scottish film actor (Jane Eyre; Raffles; City Girl; Disraeli; East Lynne; Harmony Lane; The Masquerader; The Black Watch; Tess of the Storm Country; Queen Christina; Madame Spy; What Every Woman Knows; The Bachelor Father; River’s End; Mutiny on the Bounty; The Mysterious Rider) (born Jan. 17, 1864 – died Dec. 26, 1951; age 87). (David Torrence 1924 Photo: Freulich)

Charles K. French (nee Charles Edward Krauss French)

American director & character actor of 250K+ movies (Stronger Than Death; Six Feet Four; The Clodhopper; State Street Sadie; A Woman of the Sea; The Girl of Gold; A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate; Rustlers of Red Dog; The Disciple; The Red Rider; Trail of Terror; The Crimson Trail) (born Jan. 17, 1860 – died Aug. 2, 1952; age 92). (Charles K. French 1911: Pathe Freres)

Patsy Ruth Miller (nee Patricia Ruth Miller; ex of Tay Garnett)

American 1922 WAMPAS Baby Star, actress & silent film star (The Fall of Eve; The Aviator; Fools in the Dark; The Breath of Scandal; Red Riders of Canada; A Hero for a Night; The Hunchback of Notre Dame; So This is Paris; Camille; The Fighting Streak; Omar the Tentmaker; Night Beat; Wide Open) (born Jan. 17, 1904 – died July 16, 1995; age 91). (Patsy Ruth Miller 1931: Jo-Cur)

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