Famous People Born in May 1926
Celebrate the birthdays of 73 famous people, historical figures and celebrities born in May 1926 like David Attenborough, Miles Davis and Bill Sharman.
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On This Day
Peter Lax, Hungarian Mathematician

Gérard D. Levesque, Canadian politician, born in Port-Daniel–Gascons, Canada (d. 1993)

Gerlind Reinshagen, German novelist, children's book author, and playwright (Himmel und Erde (Heaven and Earth)), born in Konigsberg, Germany (d. 2019)

May 4 Milt Thompson, American astronaut (Dynasoar, X-15), NASA test pilot and chief-engineer, born in Crookston, Minnesota (d. 1993)

May 4 Pascual Pérez, Argentine boxer (World flyweight champion 1954-60; Olympic gold Flyweight 1948), born in Mendoza, Argentina (d. 1977)

Ann B Davis, American stage and screen actress (Bob Cummings Show - "Schultzy"; The Brady Bunch - "Alice"), born in Schenectady, New York (d. 2014)

May 5 Doug Cowie, Scottish soccer defender (20 caps; Dundee FC 341 games), born in Aberdeen, Scotland (d. 2021)

Gilles Grégoire, Quebec politician (co-founder of the Parti Québécois), born in Quebec City, Quebec (d. 2006)

May 6 John Hamilton-Jones, CEO (Richmond Enterprises) and British Major-General

May 6 Johnny Bragg, American doo-wop singer-songwriter (The Prisonaires - "Just Walkin' in the Rain"), born in Nashville, Tennessee (d. 2004)

May 6 Marguerite Piazza, American operatic soprano (Young Broadway), born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 2012)

Charles Wolf, American basketball coach (Cincinnati Royals 1960-63, Detroit Pistons 1963-64), born in Covington, Kentucky (d. 2022)

May 7 Val Bisoglio, American actor (Lt Marsh-Police Woman, Danny-Quincy ME), born in New York City (d. 2021)

David Attenborough

English naturalist, TV producer and host (BBC "Life" and "Our Planet" series), born in London, England

May 8 Don Rickles, American comedian (Don Rickles Show, CPO Sharkey), born in Queens, New York (d. 2017)

May 8 Erico Menczer, Italian cinematographer (Chosen, Miranda), born in Fiume, Italy (d. 2012)

May 8 Ronald Waterhouse, British high court judge (d. 2011)

Francis Kennedy, British diplomat, and administrator (Chancellor of the University of Central Lancashire, 1995-2001), born in Brinscall, England (d. 2016)

May 9 Robin Cooke, pres (NZ Court of Appeal)

Duncan Watson, British solicitor and disability activist (President of World Blind Union, 1988-92), born in Sunderland, England (d. 2015)

May 10 Hugo Banzer, Bolivian dictator (d. 2002)

Ernest Harrison, British electronics and telecommunications executive (CEO of Racal Electronics, 1966-2000; Vodafone, 1981-2000}, born in Hackney, London, England (d. 2009)

May 11 Frank Thring, Australian actor (El Cid, Ben-Hur), born in Melbourne, Victoria (d. 1994)

May 11 Yvonne Furneaux [Scatcherd], British actress (La Dolce Vita; Repulsion), born in Roubaix, France (d. 2024)

Earl Hutto, American politician (Rep-D-Florida, 1979-95), born in Panama City, Florida (d. 2020)

May 12 Mervyn Dymally, American politician (Rep-D-CA, 1981-93), born in Cedros, Trinidad and Tobago (d. 2012)

May 12 Philip Springer, American composer (“Santa Baby”; "The Next Time"; "The Bells Of Notre Dame"), born in New York City [1]

Dewey Philip "Daddy-O", American pioneering DJ, born in Crump, Tennessee (d. 1968)

May 13 Wallace Breem, British author (Eagle in the Snow), born in Kingston, England (d. 1990)

Čestmír Gregor, Czech composer, born in Brno, Czechoslovakia (d. 2011)

May 14 Eric Morecambe [John Bartholomew], British comedian (Morecambe & Wise, Picadilly Palace), born in Morecambe, Lancashire (d. 1984)

Anthony Shaffer, Engish playwright (Sleuth), twin brother to Peter, born in Liverpool (d. 2001)

Peter Shaffer

English playwright (Equus, Amadeus), twin brother to Anthony, born in Liverpool

May 15 [Jean-Josephat] Clermont Pépin, Canadian pianist and composer (Implosion Symphony), born in Saint-Georges, Quebec (d. 2006)

Jan Zimmer, Slovak composer, born in Ružomberok, North Slovakia (d. 1993)

Cicely Berry, British theatre director (Royal Shakespeare Company) and voice coach, born in Berkhamsted, England (d. 2018) [1]

May 17 David Ogilvy, Earl of Airlie, Scottish peer, Lord Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth, born in Westminster, England (d. 2023)

May 17 Geoffrey Caston, British academic administrator (University of Oxford, 1972-79; Vice-Chancellor of University of the South Pacific, 1983-92), born in London (d. 2018)

May 17 Tenniel Evans, British actor and clergyman (10 Rillington Place, My Brother's Keeper), born in Nairobi, Kenya (d. 2009)

Dirch Passer, prolific Danish actor (Going for Broke; Mig og mafiaen), born in Østerbro, Copenhagen, Denmark (d. 1980)

May 18 Lou Bennett, American bebop pianist, and jazz organist, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1997)

David Jacobs, British broadcaster (Juke Box Jury), born in London (d. 2013)

May 19 Paul Cooper, American classical music composer, and educator, born in Victoria, Illinois (d. 1996)

May 19 Swami Kriyananda [J. Donald Walters], American Hindu guru, yoga teacher, and author, born in Teleajen, Romania (d. 2013)

Bob Sweikert, American race car driver (d. 1956)

May 20 George Hurst, British conductor (BBC Northern Orchestra. 1958-68; Bournemouth Sinfonietta. 1968-74), and educator, born in Edinburgh, Scotland (d. 2012)

May 20 John Lucarotti, British-Canadian screenwriter (The Avengers; The Troubleshooters; Doctor Who), born in Aldershot, England (d. 1994)

May 20 Vic Ames, American pop singer (Ames Brothers), born in Malden, Massachusetts (d. 1978)

Rick Jason [Richard Jacobson], American stage and screen actor (Combat! - "Lt. Hanley"; The Fountain of Youth; Day of the Wolves), born in New York City (d. 2000)

May 21 Robert Creeley, American, poet and novelist (Island), born in Arlington, Massachusetts (d. 2005)

Len Maddocks, Australian cricket wicket-keeper (7 Tests, 19 dismissals; Victoria, Tasmania), born in Melbourne, Australia (d. 2016)

May 24 Stanley Baxter, Scottish actor (The Stanley Baxter Moving Picture Show, Crook Anonymous), born in Glasgow, Scotland

Bill Sharman

American Basketball HOF guard (8 × NBA All-Star; 4 x NBA C'ship; Boston Celtics) and coach (NBA C'ship 1972 LA Lakers), born in Abilene, Texas

Claude Akins, American character actor (B. J. and the Bear, The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo, Movin' On), born in Nelson, Georgia (d. 1994)

Joseph Horovitz, British composer (Captain Noah and his Floating Zoo; Euphonium Concerto; Rumpole of the Bailey), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 2022)

May 26 Maria de Lourdes Martins, Portuguese pianist and composer, born in Lisbon, Portugal (d. 2009)

Miles Davis

American jazz musician, trumpeter and composer (Kinda Blue; Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet; Sketches of Spain), born in Alton, Illinois

May 26 Phyllis Gotlieb, Canadian sci-fi novelist (Sunburst), born in Toronto, Ontario (d. 2009)

(Clifford) “Bud” Shank, American jazz saxophonist and flute player, born in Dayton, Ohio (d. 2009)

May 27 Gordon Leggat, New Zealand cricket batsman (9 Tests, 2 x 50; Canterbury), born in Wellington, New Zealand (d. 1973)

May 27 Kees Rijvers, Dutch soccer midfielder (33 caps; NAC Breda, Saint-Étienne, Feyenoord) and manager (FC Twente, PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), born in Breda, Netherlands (d. 2024)

Robert Wentorf Jr. American physicist and inventor (1st to synthesize diamonds as part of Project Superpressure), born in West Bend, Wisconsin (d. 1997) [1]

May 28 Russ Freeman, American classically trained bebop and cool jazz pianist and composer (Art Pepper; Charlie Parker; Chet Baker; Clifford Brown; Shelly Manne), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2002)

Abdoulaye Wade, Senegalese politician (President of Senegal, 2000-12; Secretary-General of Senegalese Democratic Party, 1974-present), born in Kébémer, Senegal

May 29 Charles Denner, French actor (The Bride Wore Black, The Man Who Loved Women), born in Tarnów, Poland (d. 1995)

May 29 Katie Boyle [Lady Sander Saunders], Italian born British actress and broadcaster (Eurovision), born in Florence, Italy (d. 2018)

Christine Jorgensen, American pioneering transsexual and the first person widely known for having had sex reassignment surgery, born in The Bronx, New York (d. 1989)

May 30 Edouard Van Remoortel, Belgian conductor (St Louis Symphony, 1958-62), born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1977)

May 30 James Whitman McLamore, American businessman and 1st CEO of Burger King who created The Whopper, born in New York City (d. 1996) [1]

(Heinz) "Henry" Lewy, German-American sound engineer and record producer (Joni Mitchell; Leonard Cohen; Neil Young; Crosby, Stills & Nash; Stephen Bishop; Judee Sill; The Monkees), born in Magdeburg, Germany (d. 2006)

May 31 Derek Birley, English founding Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ulster and sports writer, born in West Yorkshire (d. 2002)

May 31 Martin Peake, 2nd Viscount Ingleby, British peer and businessman (d. 2008)

May 31 Probir Sen, Indian cricket wicketkeeper (14 Tests, 31 dismissals; Bengal), born in Comilla, Bangladesh (d. 1970)

About May 1926

How Old? 98 years old

Generation: Greatest Generation

Leap Year: No

Chinese Zodiac: Tiger

Star Signs: Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20), Gemini (May 21 - Jun 20)