Famous People Born in 1947 a to z

Hall of Fame basketball center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA's all-time leading scorer. He won six NBA titles, five with the Los Angeles Lakers, over 20 years.

Todd Akin is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 2nd District, best known for his controversial statement on abortion made during his 2012 senate bid.

Gregg Allman is one of the co-founders of the popular 1970s rock group the Allman Brothers Band.

William Atherton is an American actor known for playing heavies in films like Ghostbusters and Die Hard.

A popular humorist, Dave Barry has poked fun at an array of topics, from bad songs to historical events, for more than 30 years.

Star of the 1980s sitcom Family Ties, Meredith Baxter has appeared in several films and television shows throughout her lifetime.

Bobby Beausoleil, a part of Charles Manson's circle, is serving a life sentence in a California prison for the July 1969 murder of Manson associate Gary Hinman.

David Bowie is an English rock star known for dramatic musical transformations, including his character Ziggy Stardust. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

Camilla Parker Bowles married Prince Charles in a civil service in 2005. The two had been romantically involved for more than 25 years.

For 40 years, Actor and comedian Albert Brooks has worked steadily in Hollywood, appearing both in other people's movies and in his own self-directed projects.

Betty Buckley is an American actress best known for roles in the television show, Eight is Enough, and later film roles.

American singer-songwriter Tim Buckley was known for combining folk, rock and other musical styles during his tragically short career.

An expert in the field of mind-body healing, Deepak Chopra is a world-renowned speaker and author on the subject of alternative medicine.

Tom Clancy is a New York Times Best Selling American author, best known for his thrillers that include themes of espionage, military, science, politics and technology.

When Hillary Clinton was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2001, she became the only American first lady to hold national office. She became the 67th U.S. secretary of state in 2009, serving until 2013.

Actress Glenn Close is best known for her many Oscar-nominated roles, like the psychotic mistress in the 1987 movie Fatal Attraction.

Grammy-award winning musician Ry Cooder has released multiple American-roots style records under his own name, and has also recorded with musicians worldwide.

American actress Jane Curtin rose to fame in 1975 as one of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live. She went on to star in the popular sitcoms Kate & Allie (1984) and 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996). 

Ted Danson is an American actor best known for playing bartender Sam Malone on the hit TV sitcom Cheers.

Legendary guitarist Dave Davies played in The Kinks with brother Ray Davies, penned hits like "Death of a Clown," and entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Paula Deen is best known for her Food Network shows on Southern cooking, including Paula's Home Cooking, Paula's Party and Paula's Best Dishes. 

Tom Delay was Republican majority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives who was convicted of money laundering charges in 2010.

Richard Dreyfuss is an American actor known for his roles in Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, American Graffiti and The Goodbye Girl.

Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer and human-rights activist. She was the first female judge in Iran, and won the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize.

Bob Edwards is best known as the host of the long-running public radio news program Morning Edition, a post he held for close to 25 years.

Farrah Fawcett was an American actress best known for her role in the TV series Charlie’s Angels. She was also famous for her pin-up status and her signature hairstyle.

Jeff Fort is an American criminal best known as the founder and leader of the Black P. Stone Nation gang. Other crimes have included misuse of federal funds, drug trafficking and attempted terrorism.

American actress Teri Garr is best known for her role as Dustin Hoffman's neurotic girlfriend in the comedy hit Tootsie (1981). Other notable roles include The Conversation (1974), Young Frankenstein (1974) and Mr. Mom (1983). 

Donna Godchaux was a back-up singer for the Grateful Dead, and was married to the band's former keyboardist, Keith Godchaux. She continues to perform as a singer today.

Temple Grandin is a noted animal expert and advocate for autistic populations who has penned the books Animals in Translation and Animals Make Us Human.

American folk singer Arlo Guthrie is the son of renowned folk pioneer Woody Guthrie. Arlo's songbook includes the beloved "Alice's Restaurant Massacree."

Jack Hanna, animal expert and former director of the Columbus Zoo, makes regular appearances on TV talk shows to teach people about exotic animals.

Don Henley is a musician who was a founding member of the Eagles and later went on to great solo success with such songs as "Boys of Summer."

Doug Henning was a magician known the world over for his tricks performed on TV and Broadway and in Las Vegas.

Mazie Hirono is the first Asian-American female, Buddhist and Japan-born U.S. senator.

Elton John is a British singer, pianist and composer who was one of the most popular musicians of the 20th century. Along with selling more than 250 million records he has found success on Broadway, composing the music score for the Tony award winning hit Billy Elliot (2008).

Luc Jouret was a homeopathic doctor who founded the New Age cult Solar Templar in the 1980s.

Stephen King is a New York Times-bestselling novelist who made his name in the horror and fantasy genres. Much of his work has been adapted into films.

Kevin Kline is an American actor known for his versatility, from roles in Shakespearean plays to parts in dramatic films, including Sophie's Choice and A Fish Called Wanda.

Patricia Krenwinkel was a member of Charles Manson's "Family," and was convicted of the family's infamous 1969 murders of Sharon Tate and Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, which were orchestrated by Manson.

Comedian and late-night talk show host David Letterman is known for his irreverent sense of humor and cynical, mocking style.

Angst-ridden and neurotic, Richard Lewis turned his private pain into a comic persona that served him as a standup comedian and versatile actor, adding author to his credits when he penned a memoir of struggling with sobriety.

Meat Loaf is a multi-platinum musician, made famous for his rock opera, Bat Out of Hell. He's acted in cult-hit films, Rocky Horror Picture Show and Fight Club.

David Mamet is a playwright and screenwriter known for such heady works as American Buffalo and Glengarry Glen Ross.

Brian May, lead guitarist of the rock band Queen, wrote the song "We are the Champions," applying his physics background in the recording studio.

Laura Nyro is best known for her musical career as a singer-songwriter, which began in the 1960s.

Actor Edward James Olmos earned an Oscar nomination for Stand and Deliver before starring on TV's Battlestar Galactica.

James Patterson is an author of popular thrillers. He is best known for the Womens Murder Club series, and for his books starring psychologist Alex Cross.

American actor John Ratzenberger, best known as mailman Cliff Clavin from the television series Cheers, has also contributed voice-acting to every animated Pixar feature film.

Jerry John Rawlings ruled Ghana twice, first in 1979 after a military coup, and then again from 1981 until 2001, as the result of free elections.

British artist Jamie Reid designed artwork for the Sex Pistols album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, which includes the song "Anarchy in the U.K." His artistic style helped define the look of the English punk rock scene of the late 1970s.

American actor, director and producer Rob Reiner is best known for directing the classic hits Stand By Me (1996) and When Harry Met Sally (1989).

Bill Richardson served in Clinton's cabinet and as New Mexico’s governor but he was unsuccessful in his bid for a 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney made a run for the Republican nomination in the 2008 presidential election, losing to John McCain. He made another run for the presidency in 2012, but was defeated by President Barack Obama.

Salman Rushdie is a British-Indian novelist best known for the novels Midnight's Children (1981) and The Satanic Verses (1988), for which he was accused of blasphemy against Islam.

Nolan Ryan played professional baseball until age 46. He pitched 3,509th career strikeouts, becoming the first pitcher to surpass Walter Johnson's 1927 record.

Mexican-American guitarist Carlos Santana is leader of Santana, a band whose music uniquely blends Latin-infused rock, jazz, blues, salsa, and African rhythms.

Army medic Clarence Eugene was awarded the Medal of Honor for treating wounded Vietnam soldiers amidst gunfire despite having been shot in both legs himself.

Controversial radio host Laura Schlessinger, also known as "Dr. Laura," is an expert at giving listeners—and readers—a piece of her mind when it comes to moral living and leading a successful family life.

Arnold Schwarzenegger first gained fame as a body builder, using that as a launching point to become a huge Hollywood star and, later, the governor of California.

O.J. Simpson is best known for his arrest and trial in the 1994 murder of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, of which he was found not guilty.

During the mid-1980s to early 1990s, actor Alan Thicke played one of television’s most beloved sitcom dads, psychiatrist Jason Seaver on Growing Pains.

All-American model Cheryl Tiegs appeared in numerous photo shoots with high profile magazines like Vogue, Elle, and Sports Illustrated, in the 1970s.

Veteran Australian actress Jacki Weaver has received Academy Award nominations for her work in such films as Animal Kingdom (2010) and Silver Linings Playbook (2012).

Bob Weir was a rhythm guitarist for the legendary rock band the Grateful Dead from 1964 to 1995 and later reunited to tour with former members as The Other Ones.

English rocker Ron Wood became the Rolling Stones' guitarist in the mid-1970s, and is now a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.

James Woods is an award-winning actor of stage and screen, known for his versatility in fare like Salvador, My Name Is Bill W. and Ghosts of Mississippi.

Graham Young is best known as the Teacup Poisoner, responsible for the killing of at least three people in England.