Famous October Birthdays a to z

American poet and critic Robert Pinksy is best known for writing about the significance of every-day experiences.

Harold Pinter is a renowned British playwright who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2005.

Sylvia Plath was a gifted, troubled poet, known for the confessional style of her work. She wrote the novel The Bell Jar.

Zac Posen is a fashion designer who became the Next Big Thing before he even had his first runway show.

Fondly remembered as the sassy secretary in Ghostbusters (1984), actress Annie Potts also appeared in Pretty in Pink.

Poet Ezra Pond authored more than 70 books and promoted many other now-famous writers, including James Joyce and T.S. Eliot.

John Prine is an American singer-songwriter who has issued a prodigious number of albums. His work has been covered by Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Cash and George Strait.

Melvin Purvis was the FBI agent responsible for bringing several notorious criminals to justice, among them outlaws John Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd.

Vladimir Putin served as president of Russia from 2000 to 2008, and was re-elected to the presidency in 2012. He previously served as Russia's prime minister.

Mario Puzo became famous when he adapted his novel The Godfather into a screenplay for director Francis Ford Coppola in the 1960s.

Jean Vander Ply was an American actress on radio, television and film. He is best known as the voice of Wilma Flintstone from the cartoon The Flintstones.

Actor Randy Quaid is an “everyman” who has appeared in films ranging from dramas such as The Last Detail to comedies like National Lampoon’s Vacation.

Panamanian-born U.S. theatrical director José Quintero was a founder of the Off-Broadway theatre Circle in the Square, where he directed regularly from 1950.

Sam Raimi has directed some of Hollywood's scariest movies and biggest blockbusters, such as Evil Dead 2 and Spider-man.

Dan Rather is one of America’s most well-known journalists, having worked for CBS News for more than four decades.

American artist Robert Rauschenberg is best known for paving the way for pop art of the 1960's with fellow artist Jasper Johns.

Irish actor Stephen Rea is well-known for his roles in V for Vendetta, Interview with the Vampire and The Crying Game.

William Rehnquist was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Richard Nixon in 1971. He was elevated to the post of chief justice by President Ronald Reagan in 1986. He remained chief justice until his death in 2005.

Ryan Reynolds is a versatile actor who's played a college student, a mutant villain and a superhero. He also made headlines as Scarlett Johansson's ex.

Anne Rice wrote supernatural novels. Her most famous series was Vampire Chronicles, which included the book Interview with the Vampire.

Hall of Fame football wide receiver Jerry Rice played for the San Francisco 49ers and is widely considered the greatest ever to play his position.

Richard III was king of England for two turbulent years. He is best known for being accused of murdering his nephews to protect his throne.

Lamar State College of Technology

Louis Riel was the leader of the Métis in western Canada who led his people in revolt against Canadian sovereignty.

Faith Ringgold is an American artist and author who became famous for innovative, quilted narrations like Tar Beach that communicate her political beliefs.

Tim Robbins is an Academy Award-winning actor as well as an accomplished film director, writer and activist. He had a 23-year relationship with actress Susan Sarandon.

American actor Robert Reed played the quintessential family man Mike Brady in the enduring sitcom The Brady Bunch.

Brash sports-talk personality Jim Rome has entertained fans and clashed with interview subjects while rising to fame as a radio and television host.

Wayne Rooney is one of the world's best-known soccer players and a top scorer for the Manchester United club.

The wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt changed the role of the first lady through her active participation in American politics.

A New York governor who became the 26th U.S. president, Theodore Roosevelt is remembered for his foreign policy, corporate reforms and ecological preservation.

Known for his fast and easy "wet-on-wet" painting technique, Bob Ross reached millions of art lovers with his popular television program The Joy of Painting.

American Kyla Ross has received various national gymnastics awards. In 2012, she helped the U.S. Olympic women's gymnastics team win a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in London.

Singer David Lee Roth has become a legend of rock 'n' roll, as the wild frontman for Van Halen and as a solo artist.

Winona Ryder is a film actress known for dark, quirky roles in such films as Heathers and Girl, Interrupted.

Jonas Salk was an American physician and medical researcher who developed the first safe and effective vaccine for polio.

Susan Sarandon is an Academy Award-winning American film actress known for roles in films like Bull Durham, Thelma and Louise and Dead Man Walking.

Artist, screenwriter and director Julian Schnabel was a leading figure of the art world in the 1980s, and has proven to be talented in many creative fields.

Actor and comedian Rob Schneider's is best known for his combination of self-deprecating humor and goofball antics in films like Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo.

Liev Schriber is an actor known for appearing in such films as X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Hamlet and Scream.

American actor George C. Scott starred in films and on Broadway during his 40-year career. In 1970, he won an Oscar for his portrayal of George S. Patton.

Mobutu Sésé Seko was president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which was also known as Zaire for much of his reign, from 1965 to 1997.

King Mohammed Zahir Shah was king of Afghanistan from 1933 to 1973, during which time he provided an era of stable government to his country.

Al Sharpton is an outspoken and sometimes controversial political activist in the fight against racial prejudice and injustice.

Alicia Silverstone is an actress who starred in such films as Clueless and The Crush. She is an outspoken environmentalist, vegan and animal rights activist.

Scottish actor Alastair Sim appeared in many classic British films in the mid-20th century. His best known portrayal was that of Ebenezer Scrooge in 1951's A Christmas Carol.

Co-founder of Def Jam Records, Russell Simmons was the force behind the hip-hop revolution, promoting stars like the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy and LL Cool J.

French novelist Claude Simon’s novels include The Wind; The Grass; and The Flanders Road. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1985.

American singer-songwriter Paul Simon is an influential figure in American rock music. He is best known for his long-running success as a musician.

Isaac Singer founded the Singer Sewing Machine Company, the first company to make sewing machines practical and easy to use at home.

Alfred Sisley was a French impressionist painter, primarily of landscapes, and was a friend of Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

Singer-songwriter Grace Slick was one of the lead singers for the band Jefferson Airplane. She wrote the songs "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love".

Jaclyn Smith is a model and actress who starred in all five seasons of Charlie’s Angels. She has also launched her own collections for K-Mart.

Matthew Robert Smith is a British actor best known for playing the lead role in the popular British science-fiction television series Doctor Who, produced by the BBC.

Willow Smith, the daughter of stars Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, gained musical fame in 2010 with her first hit single "Whip My Hair".

Zadie Smith is a novelist whose first book, White Teeth, was a sensation, instantly putting her on the literary map.

Suzanne Somers is an American actress known for her role in the TV sitcom Three’s Company as well as for promoting health and fitness books and equipment.

Gwen Stefani is a founding member and lead singer of the ska-pop group No Doubt.

British actor Dan Stevens is best known for his portrayal of Matthew Crawley on Downton Abbey, a career high point that he is parlaying into other high-profile projects.

Author R.L. Stine is famous for writing Goosebumps, the best-selling horror series for kids. He also created the successful Fear Street series.

Sting, born Gordon Sumner, is an English singer, songwriter and philanthropist best known as the frontman of The Police.

Ichiro Suzuki is a record-holding hitter in major league baseball, having played for the Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees.

Art Tatum was a highly influential 20th century jazz pianist known for his radical reinventions of pop standards.

The first female prime minister of Britain, Margaret Thatcher was a controversial figurehead of conservative ideology during her time in office.

Writer Dylan Thomas is best known for the poem "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night," the play "Under Milk Wood," and for his heavy drinking.

Australian Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe won the most gold medals of any Australian athlete, and was the youngest to win a world championship. He went on to win 10 more.

Chinese golfer Guan Tianlang became the youngest player in Masters history when he teed off at the 2013 tournament at age 14 years and five months.

Tiffany was a 1980s teen-pop sensation best known for her hit "I Think We're Alone Now."

Toni Braxton is an R&B singer-songwriter and actress best known for the hits "Un-Break My Heart," "You Mean the World to Me" and "Breathe Again."