Famous People Born in 1948 a to z

Frank Abagnale became notorious for impersonating a pilot, a doctor, and a laywer. He was hired by the FBI to teach them his fradulent tricks.

Gerry Adams is president of Sinn Féin, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army.

Susan Atkins was a member of Charles Manson's "Family" and was convicted of the group's infamous 1969 murder of Sharon Tate, which was orchestrated by Manson.

Mikhail Baryshnikov is a Russian-American ballet dancer who choreographed several iconic pieces which have made him one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20th century.

Award-winning actress Kathy Bates starred as a deranged fan opposite James Caan in Misery, and as a comically emancipated housewife in Fried Green Tomatoes.

Rubén Blades is an acclaimed Panamanian singer, musician and actor known for albums like Buscando America and hits like "Pedro Navaja."

One of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, Terry Bradshaw has spent much of his life playing, reporting, and commenting on football.

Jackson Browne is a folk singer-songwriter who released numerous hit records in the 1970s and '80s, including Late for the Sky. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

T Bone Burnett is a Grammy Award-winning musician and producer who has worked on several popular films, including The Big Lebowski and Crazy Heart.

A master of horror, John Carpenter created the 1978 thriller hit Halloween, which has inspired and influenced countless other filmmakers.

Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton is best known for the highly publicized case surrounding the 1980 disappearance of her daughter Azaria, in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Physicist Steven Chu was co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1997 for his work on cooling atoms, and became the U.S. Secretary of Energy in 2009.

Jamaican musician Jimmy Cliff is best known for introducing reggae to an international audience.

Gary Condit served in the U.S. House of Representatives and is considered a conservative Democrat. He was inconclusively linked to the disappearance of federal intern Chandra Levy.

Considered the Godfather of Shock Rock, singer Alice Cooper came to fame in the 1970s, alarming audiences with his garish, often ghoulish stage performances.

Diane Crump was a professional jockey who racked up more than 230 victories in her career.

Billy Crystal came to fame on the sitcom Soap. After a year on Saturday Night Live, he began a successful film career.

American politician Howard Dean is best known for running for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination.

The music of British singer-songwriter Nick Drake wasn't a hit during his lifetime, but his albums Fruit Tree and Pink Moon have gained fans over the years.

Figure skater Peggy Fleming won the only U.S. gold medal in the 1968 Olympics. Later, she publicly battled breast cancer, beating it with radiation therapy.

Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme was a member of Charles Manson's "Family," who was sentenced to life in prison for attempting to assassinate President Gerald Ford.

Keith Godchaux is known for his tenure as a keyboardist with the Grateful Dead in the 1970s.

Al Gore was the 45th Vice President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He is also known for his work regarding environmental issues.

Photographer and activist Tipper Gore, wife of Vice President Al Gore, co-founded the Parents' Music Resource Center, and was Clinton’s mental health advisor.

Fred Grandy played Gopher on the 1970s television show The Love Boat. He was also an Iowa congressman and the president and CEO of Goodwill Industries.

Christopher Guest has written, directed and starred in a number of classic comedies, including This is Spinal Tap (1984) and Waiting for Guffman (1996).

Canadian-born American actor Phil Hartman is best known for his performances on Saturday Night Live.

Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter was first elected to represent the San Diego area in 1980. He failed to gain his party's 2008 presidential nomination.

Theater, film and television actor Jeremy Irons starred in the popular movies Reversal of Fortune, The Lion King, Lolita, Being Julia and The Fourth Angel.

Samuel L. Jackson is known as one of the hardest-working Hollywood actors. In 2011, he was named the highest-grossing actor of all time.

African American musician Rick James was a popular performer in the late 1970s and is best known for hits such as "Super Freak", "Mary Jane" and "You and I".

American fashion designer Donna Karan is one of the most influential designers in the world today.

A serial killer, Edmund Kemper killed six young, college-age women in the Santa Cruz, California, area and several members of his family.

Lulu is a Scottish-born singer who performed "To Sir With Love" and appeared in the classic film of the same name alongside Sidney Poitier.

American country singer Barbara Mandrell scored No. 1 hits with "Sleeping Single in a Double Bed" and "Years."

Fantasy writer George R. R. Martin created A Song of Ice and Fire, one of the most popular book series today and includes 1996's Game of Thrones

Former child star Jerry Mathers is best known for playing the role of Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver from 1957-1963 on the series Leave It to Beaver.

High school teacher Christa McAuliffe was the first American civilian selected to go into space. She died in the space shuttle Challenger’s explosion in 1986.

Kweisi Mfume is the former President and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Tommy Mottola is a high-powered music executive who is credited with launching the careers of Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, and Celine Dion, among others.

James Nachtwey is an American photographer best known for his work documenting wars, civil strife and other social conflicts. His work has appeared in Time magazine and in international solo exhibitions.

Ted Nugent fronted the band Amboy Dukes in the 1970s. He has produced solo work since 1977, including the successful album Cat Scratch Fever.

Eccentric English musician Ozzy Osbourne fronted the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. In 2001, he opened his home to reality TV cameras for The Osbournes show.

With bright eyes and bee-sting lips, Bernadette Peters is best know for her comedic musical performances, especially in period roles.

Olympic medalist Mark Phillips is renowned as the commoner who married Princess Anne.

American singer Kate Pierson is famous as the frontwoman for the B-52s, one of the most popular bands of the late 1980s and early '90s.

Robert Plant is a British rock singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin.

Prince Charles is the oldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip and is the heir apparent to the British throne.

Mercedes Ruehl is an actress of Cuban and Irish descent. She won a Tony Award for Lost in Yonkers and an Oscar for The Fisher King.

Cristina Saralegui hosts the talk show The Cristina Show for the Univision Network. It has been on the air since 1989 and has won 11 Emmys.

Overweight as a child, Richard Simmons is now an American fitness personality best known for his high-energy and eccentric aerobic videos and DVDs.

Donna Summer was a singer-songwriter who became the "Queen of Disco" in the 1970s with such hits as "Love to Love You Baby," "I Feel Love" and "Last Dance."

Clarence Thomas is the second African-American justice to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. He was appointed in 1991 and leans conservative.

The lead singer of popular rock band Aerosmith with hits like “Dream On” and “Walk This Way,” Steven Tyler has also served as a judge on American Idol.

Randy Weaver, former U.S. Army combat engineer, is best known for being at the center of a deadly confrontation with FBI agents at Ruby Ridge, Idaho in 1992.

Composer. Andrew Lloyd Webber is an English composer known for such musical theater hits as Cats, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar and The Phantom of the Opera.

English actor Tom Wilkinson is best known for his Oscar-nominated roles in the films In the Bedroom and Michael Clayton.