On This Day

Discover events that happened On This Day including famous birthdays and notable deaths. Each day we highlight famous people, past and present, who have impacted our world. Browse sections by selecting the links below or click the calendar to view events on another day.

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January 20

January 20

Events on This Day

1930

83 years ago
Pilot Charles Lindbergh sets a new record for the fastest cross-country flight when he lands in New York after 14.75 hours.
1961

52 years ago
John F. Kennedy gives his inaugural address, issuing his entreaty to "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."

Read more at History.com
1981

32 years ago
On Ronald Reagan's inauguration day, Iran releases 52 American hostages who were held for 444 days.
1982

31 years ago
Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off a dead bat during a performance in Iowa, claiming to have mistaken the animal for a toy.

January 20

Born on This Day

- In these groups:
- Famous Military Veterans
- Famous Lefties
- Cast of Dancing with the Stars
Buzz Aldrin

Astronaut / 1930 -

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin was one of the first people to walk on the moon. He and flight commander Neil Armstrong made the Apollo 11 moonwalk in 1969.

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Buzz Aldrin
Born: January 20, 1930
Age: 83 years old
Birthplace: Montclair, New Jersey, United States
Occupation: Astronaut
- In these groups:
- Best Foreign Language Film Oscar Winners
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Film Directors
Federico Fellini

Director / 1920 - 1993

Italian film director Federico Fellini was one of the most celebrated and distinctive filmmakers of the period after World War II.

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Federico Fellini
1920 | 73 years old
Director
- In these groups:
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Playwrights
- Famous Fiction Authors
Anton Chekhov

Author, Playwright / 1860 - 1904

Anton Chekhov is best known for his short stories and plays, including The Proposal, The Wedding and The Anniversary.

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Anton Chekhov
1860 | 44 years old
Author, Playwright
- In these groups:
- George Burns and Gracie Allen
- Name Changers
- Best Supporting Actor Oscar Winners
George Burns

Film Actor, Theater Actor, Television Actor, Comedian, Radio Personality, Television Personality / 1896 - 1996

George Burns was a comedian who worked in vaudeville, radio, film and television. His long-time performance partner and wife was comedienne Gracie Allen. Burns lived until age 100.

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George Burns
Born: January 20, 1896
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Occupation: Film Actor, Theater Actor, ...
- In these groups:
- Eerie Filmmakers
- Eagle Scouts
- Famous Aquarians
David Lynch

Director / 1946 -

David Lynch is a film director and screenwriter known for his dark, offbeat films, notable Blue Velvet and Eraserhead

.

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David Lynch
1946 | 67 years old
Director
- In these groups:
- Silver Foxes
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Animal Rights Activists
Bill Maher

Animal Rights Activist, Comedian, Talk Show Host / 1956 -

Bill Maher is an American comedian, talk show host and political commentator.

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Bill Maher
1956 | 57 years old
Animal Rights Activist, Comedian, ...

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January 20

Died on This Day

- In these groups:
- EGOT Winners
- Best Actress Oscar Winners
- Famous Taureans
Audrey Hepburn

Film Actress, Theater Actress, Philanthropist / 1929 - 1993

Actress Audrey Hepburn, star of Breakfast at Tiffany's, remains one of Hollywood's greatest style icons and one of the world's most successful actresses.

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Audrey Hepburn
Died: January 20, 1993
Age: 63 years old
Place: Tolochenaz , Switzerland
Occupation: Film Actress, Theater Actress, ...
- In these groups:
- Famous Libras
- Famous Painters
- Famous Artists
Jean-François Millet

Painter / 1814 - 1875

Jean-Francois Millet was a French painter who is well known for his paintings of peasants and the labors of rural life.

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Jean-François Millet
1875 | 60 years old
Painter
- In these groups:
- Name Changers
- Honorary Oscar Recipients
- Primetime Soap Stars
Barbara Stanwyck

Film Actress, Television Actress, Dancer, Pin-up / 1907 - 1990

Barbara Stanwyck was an American actress who had a 60-year career in film and TV. Usually playing strong-willed women, Stanwyck defined the femme fatale.

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Barbara Stanwyck
1990 | 82 years old
Film Actress, Television Actress, ...

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- In these groups:
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Fashion Designers
- Famous People Born in 1895
Cristóbal Balenciaga

Fashion Designer / 1895 - 1972

Cristóbal Balenciaga was a Spanish-French fashion designer and the leading couturier of Spain in the 1920s-30s. He moved to Paris during the Spanish Civil War.

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Cristóbal Balenciaga
January 21, 1895
Fashion Designer
- In these groups:
- Famous Academics
- Famous Teachers
- Famous Aquarians
André Marie Ampère

Educator, Physicist, Journalist / 1775 - 1836

André Marie Ampère was a French physicist and founder of electrodynamics (electromagnetism). The unit for measuring electric current was named for him.

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André Marie Ampère
January 22, 1775
Physicist
- In these groups:
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Poets
- Famous Playwrights
Derek Walcott

Playwright, Poet / 1930 -

Derek Walcott is a West Indian poet and playwright noted for works that explore the Caribbean cultural experience.

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Derek Walcott
January 23, 1930
Poet
- In these groups:
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Painters
- Famous Artists
Robert Motherwell

Painter, Academic Author / 1915 - 1991

Robert Motherwell was an American painter best known for being an influential force in the abstract expressionism movement of the 1940s.

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Robert Motherwell
January 24, 1915
Academic Author

Famous Aquarians

- In these groups:
- Famous Aquarians
- Famous Engineers
- Famous Chemists
Lisa Perez Jackson

Civil Servant, Engineer, Chemist / 1962 -

Lisa Perez Jackson is a chemical engineer who in 2008 became the first African American to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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Lisa Perez Jackson
February 8, 1962
Civil Servant, Engineer, Chemist
- In these groups:
- Fitness Gurus
- Famous Aquarians
- Reality TV Stars
Jillian Michaels

Entrepreneur, Reality Television Star / 1974 -

A high-profile trainer and life coach, Jillian Michaels starred on the reality TV show The Biggest Loser and has created her own fitness franchise.

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Jillian Michaels
February 18, 1974
Entrepreneur, Reality Television Star

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