Famous December Birthdays a to z

Willa Cather was a writer of poetry and novels known for such works as O Pioneers! and My Antonia.

Folk singer-songwriter Harry Chapin, famous in the 1970s for hits like "Cat's in the Cradle," was also a philanthropist dedicated to fighting world hunger.

Charles VI, nicknamed Charles the Mad, was king of France from 1380 to 1422—a period marked by political chaos and France’s defeat by England at Agincourt.

Margaret Cho is a Korean-American comic best known for her candid comedy, TV roles and advocacy.

Famed scholar Noam Chomsky is known for both his groundbreaking contributions to linguistics and his penetrating critiques of political systems.

Sandra Cisneros is a Latina American novelist who wrote the bestselling novel "The House on Mango Street."

An author of more than 100 books, Arthur C. Clarke’s imagination and insight influenced modern science via works like his classic 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Actor Lee J. Cobb had roles in some eighty movies. Despite his success in Hollywood, he was probably most proud of his stage work in Death of a Salesman.

Scientist Edwin Cohn helped develop a method of separating blood plasma proteins, which provided lifesaving care to many soldiers during World War II.

American professional basketball player Jason Collins became the first active openly gay male athlete in the four major North American professional sports.

Jennifer Connelly is an American actress who started as a child star but gained fame from her role in the film Requiem for a Dream.

Connie Mack was manager of the Milwaukee Brewers and the Philadelphia Athletics, and owner of the Athletics. He helped establish the American League.

English novelist and short-story writer Joseph Conrad’s works include the novels Lord Jim, Nostromo and The Secret Agent and the story “Heart of Darkness”.

Tim Conway is an American comedian and actor, best known for co-starring alongside Carol Burnett on The Carol Burnett Show.

In 2004, athlete Maritza Correia made history as the first African-American woman to earn a place on the U.S. Olympic Swim Team. She later became the first African-American woman to break an American record.

Conservative commentator Ann Coulter has insulted Jews, 9/11 widows and a variety of Democratic politicians, yet she continues to have a loyal fan base.

British actor, songwriter and playwright Noël Coward was one of the top figures of 20th century theater, using wit to deal with major social issues.

Quentin Crisp became a gay icon in the 1970s after publication of his memoir, The Naked Civil Servant, describing his life in homophobic British Society.

Andrew Cuomo, the 56th governor of New York, is the son of former New York Governor Mario Cuomo and brother of news anchor Chris Cuomo. He formerly served as New York's attorney general and U.S. secretary of HUD.

George Custer was an American general who in 1876 led 210 men into battle at Little Bighorn against Native Americans. Custer and his men were killed.

Kim Dae-jung was president of South Korea from 1998 to 2003. He arranged an historic summit with North Korean ruler Kim Jong Il.

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

Ernie Davis became the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy before his life was tragically cut short by leukemia at the age of 23.

Glenn Woodward Davis won the 1946 Heisman Trophy as a halfback at Army, setting single season records for average yards per carry, 11.5 in 1945.

Ossie Davis was an American actor, writer, social activist and humanitarian. He often performed with wife Ruby Dee in plays, in film and on television.

Sammy Davis Jr. was an actor, comedian, singer and dancer, and part of the Rat Pack with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, with whom he starred in several films.

Humphry Davy was a British chemist best known for his contributions to the discoveries of chlorine and iodine. He is noted for suggesting the anesthetic use of nitrous oxide in human surgery.

Miguel de la Madrid was president of Mexico from 1982 to 1988. He was a political conservative and his administration was characterized by an economic crisis.

Madame de Pompadour became the mistress of French King Louis XV in the mid-1700s. She greatly influenced French culture during this time, including decorative arts, architecture and statecraft.

Roy DeCarava was an American photographer who created some of the most iconic images we have of the Civil Rights Movement and jazz musicians in motion.

Born December 11, 1973 in Brooklyn, this acclaimed rapper and actor is known for his socially conscious hip-hop music as well as for his performances in Monster's Ball, The Italian Job and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Ferdinand Waldo Demara, Jr. traveled the country posing as a Navy officer, a surgeon, a teacher, and more, beginning in the 1940s. He is known as the "Great Imposter" for pulling off some of the greatest identity hoaxes in history.

Dame Judi Dench is an Academy Award-winning British actress. She won an Oscar for her role as Queen Elizabeth in Shakespeare in Love.

John Denver was one of the most successful singer-songwriters of the 1970s. His hits include "Take Me Home, Country Roads" and "Thank God I'm a Country Boy."

Actor and comedian Andy Dick has appeared in such shows as News Radio, Less Than Perfect and Dancing with the Stars.

Philip Dick is an American novelist and short story writer best known for his science fiction short stories, many of which have been translated to film.

While never popular in her lifetime, Emily Dickinson has become one of the most widely known, most revered poets in history.

Film actress Marlene Dietrich was known for her sultry, sex appeal. She was a major leading lady in the 1930s and 1940s.

Songwriter Kara DioGuardi has worked on popular hits for a laundry list of pop stars including Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson and Ashlee Simpson.

Walt Disney was an American motion-picture and television producer and showman, famous as a pioneer of cartoon films and as the creator of Disneyland.

Michelle Dockery is a British actress best known for playing Lady Mary Crawley on the hit show Downton Abbey.

A pioneering talk show host, Phil Donahue's Phil Donahue Show paved the way for virtually every talk show to appear on TV since.

Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas is best known as the first African American to win the individual all-around event. She also won a team gold medal for the U.S. at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Actor Kirk Douglas brought his formidable chin and talent to movies like Spartacus and The Bad and the Beautiful. You may also know him as the father of Michael Douglas.

Actress Patty Duke won an Academy Award in 1963, at age 16, for her portrayal of Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker—becoming the youngest Oscar recipient at the time.

Michael Clarke Duncan was an African-American actor, best remembered for his role in The Green Mile.

Irene Dunne was an Academy Award-nominated actress and singer known for her roles in Showboat, Anna and the King of Siam and Love Affair.

As lead singer of the grunge rock band Pearl Jam, Eddie Vedder belted out hits like "Evenflow," "Alive" and "Jeremy."

Gustave Eiffel was a French engineer who designed and oversaw construction of the Eiffel Tower in 1889.

Anwar el-Sadat was the one-time president of Egypt (1970-1981) who shared the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize for establishing peace agreements with Israel.

Jaime Escalante became famous for his work with troubled, "unteachable" high school math students. His story was told in the 1988 film Stand and Deliver.

Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar's ambition and ruthlessness made him one of the wealthiest, most powerful, and most violent criminals of all-time.

Franz Ferdinand's assassination on June 28, 1914, at the hand of a Serbian terrorist group the "Black Hand," led to the beginning of World War I.

Alex Ferguson is a Scottish soccer player known for his highly successful, long-term management of the Manchester United league.

Raymond Fernandez is a serial killer best known, along with his partner Martha Beck, as the Lonely Hearts Killers. The two were executed in 1949.

Ralph Fiennes is a British film actor best known for his performances in Schindler's List, The English Patient and The Constant Gardener.

French novelist Gustave Flaubert, born in 1821, is best known for his masterpiece Madame Bovary and is renowned as a classic French realist writer.

Bobby Flay's frequent appearances and shows on the Food Network have now made him one of America's best known chefs.

Heidi Fleiss is an American criminal best known as the "Hollywood Madam" of a high class prostitution ring that catered to wealthy clients like Charlie Sheen.

Jane Fonda is an American actress best known for her acting career, political activism and aerobic-exercise videos. The daughter of acclaimed actor Henry Fonda, the actress has won two Oscars.

A talented singer, comedian, and actor, Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx has proved to be a triple threat in the entertainment industry.

Sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce became the first Jamaican woman to win the 100-meter Olympic gold medal in 2008. She won her second straight 100-meter Olympic gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Psychiatrist Anna Freud, daughter of Sigmund Freud, pioneered the field of child psychoanalysis and further defined the function of the ego in psychology.