“Born on the Fourth of July” is the title of Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic’s autobiography, as well as Oliver Stone’s film adaptation of the book, starring Tom Cruise. Of course Ron Kovic isn’t the only famous American born on Independence Day. President Calvin Coolidge and advice columnist Ann Landers were, too (along with others as diverse as Bill Withers, Geraldo Rivera, George Steinbrenner, and Gina Lolabrigida).
24/7 Tempo has consulted numerous websites, including AP News, Famous Birthdays, Born Today, and Wikipedia to create a list of famous people born on major holidays, including New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Valentine’s Day, Leap Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Labor Day, Halloween, Veteran’s Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve.
Click here to see a list of famous people born on major holidays
The youngest names on our list are gymnast Gabby Douglas, born on Christmas Day in 1995, and musician Post Malone, born on Independence Day in 1995. The oldest names are scientist Isaac Newton, born in 1642 on Christmas Day, and author Nathaniel Hawthorne, another Independence Day baby, born in 1804. (This is the most famous person the same age as you.)
In between are names such as Salma Hayek and Keanu Reeves, hard-working actors both born on Labor Day. (These are the 25 biggest Keanu Reeves movies ranked worst to best.)
Spare a thought, though, for actor Dennis Farina and musician Ja Rule, both born on a Leap Day. People born on February 29 are known as leaplings and get to celebrate on February 28 or March 1 instead of their actual birthday three out of four years.
Isaac Newton
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1642
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, England
>Occupation: Scientist
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Nathaniel Hawthorne
> Born on: July 4, 1804
> Holiday: Independence Day
> Hometown: Salem, MA
>Occupation: Writer
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Clara Barton
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1821
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: Oxford, MA
>Occupation: Nurse, founder of the American Red Cross
Stephen Foster
> Born on: July 4, 1826
> Holiday: Independence Day
> Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
>Occupation: Songwriter
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Pud Galvin
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1856
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: St. Louis, MO
>Occupation: Baseball player
Calvin Coolidge
> Born on: July 4, 1872
> Holiday: Independence Day
> Hometown: Plymouth, VT
>Occupation: 30th president of the US
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Humphrey Bogart
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1899
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: New York City, NY
>Occupation: Film and theater actor
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Howard Hughes
> Born on: Dec. 24, 1905
> Holiday: Christmas Eve
> Hometown: Humble, TX
>Occupation: Business magnate, pilot
Cab Calloway
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1907
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: Rochester, NY
>Occupation: Musician, dancer
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Ben Chapman
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1908
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: Nashville, TN
>Occupation: Baseball player
Ann Landers
> Born on: July 4, 1918
> Holiday: Independence Day
> Hometown: Sioux City,IA
>Occupation: Advice columnist
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Ava Gardner
> Born on: Dec. 24, 1922
> Holiday: Christmas Eve
> Hometown: Grabtown, NC
>Occupation: Actor
Rod Serling
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1924
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: Syracuse, NY
>Occupation: Screenwriter and playwright
Nellie Fox
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1927
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: St. Thomas Township, PA
>Occupation: Baseball player
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Anthony Hopkins
> Born on: Dec. 31, 1937
> Holiday: New Year’s Eve
> Hometown: Margam, Wales
>Occupation: Actor
Frank Langella
> Born on: Jan. 1, 1938
> Holiday: New Year’s Day
> Hometown: Bayonne, NJ
>Occupation: Actor
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Dr. Anthony Fauci
> Born on: Dec. 24, 1940
> Holiday: Christmas Eve
> Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
>Occupation: Immunologist
Geraldo Rivera
> Born on: July 4, 1943
> Holiday: Independence Day
> Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
>Occupation: Lawyer, political commentator
Ben Kingsley
> Born on: Dec. 31, 1943
> Holiday: New Year’s Eve
> Hometown: Snainton, England
>Occupation: Actor
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Dennis Farina
> Born on: February 29, 1944
> Holiday: Leap Day
> Hometown: Chicago, IL
>Occupation: Actor
Ken Stabler
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1945
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: Foley, AL
>Occupation: Football quarterback
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Joe Louis Walker
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1945
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: San Francisco, CA
>Occupation: Musician
Gregory Hines
> Born on: Feb. 14, 1946
> Holiday: Valentine’s Day
> Hometown: New York City, NY
>Occupation: Dancer, actor
Ron Kovic
> Born on: July 4, 1946
> Holiday: Independence Day
> Hometown: Ladysmith, WI
>Occupation: Anti-war activist, US marine
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Jimmy Buffett
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1946
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: Pascagoula, MS
>Occupation: Musician
Merry Clayton
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1948
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: New Orleans, LA
>Occupation: Musician
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Donna Summer
> Born on: Dec. 31, 1948
> Holiday: New Year’s Eve
> Hometown: Boston, MA
>Occupation: Musician
Sissy Spacek
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1949
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: Quitman, TX
>Occupation: Actor
Annie Lennox
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1954
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: Aberdeen, Scotland
>Occupation: Musician, political activist
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Rickey Henderson
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1958
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: Chicago, IL
>Occupation: Baseball player
Alannah Myles
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1958
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: Toronto, Canada
>Occupation: Musician
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Lee Daniels
> Born on: Dec. 24, 1959
> Holiday: Christmas Eve
> Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
>Occupation: Film director
Val Kilmer
> Born on: Dec. 31, 1959
> Holiday: New Year’s Eve
> Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
>Occupation: Actor
Rob Schneider
> Born on: Oct. 31, 1963
> Holiday: Halloween
> Hometown: San Francisco, CA
>Occupation: Actor
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Rob Lowe
> Born on: March 17, 1964
> Holiday: St. Patrick’s Day
> Hometown: Charlottesville, VA
>Occupation: Actor
Keanu Reeves
> Born on: Sept. 2, 1964
> Holiday: Labor Day
> Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon
>Occupation: Actor
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Salma Hayek
> Born on: Sept. 2, 1966
> Holiday: Labor Day
> Hometown: Coatzacoalcos, Mexico
>Occupation: Actor
Vanilla Ice
> Born on: Oct. 31, 1967
> Holiday: Halloween
> Hometown: Dallas, TX
>Occupation: Musician
Helena Christensen
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1968
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: Copenhagen, Denmark
>Occupation: Model
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Morris Chestnut
> Born on: Jan. 1, 1969
> Holiday: New Year’s Day
> Hometown: Cerritos, CA
>Occupation: Actor
Regina King
> Born on: Jan. 15, 1971
> Holiday: Martin Luther King Day
> Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
>Occupation: Actor, Film director
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Ricky Martin
> Born on: Dec. 24, 1971
> Holiday: Christmas Eve
> Hometown: San Juan, Puerto Rico
>Occupation: Musician
Dido
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1971
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: London, England
>Occupation: Musician
Leonardo DiCaprio
> Born on: Nov. 11, 1974
> Holiday: Veteran’s Day
> Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
>Occupation: Actor
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Ryan Seacrest
> Born on: Dec. 24, 1974
> Holiday: Christmas Eve
> Hometown: Dunwoody, GA
>Occupation: TV personality
Ja Rule
> Born on: February 29, 1976
> Holiday: Leap Day
> Hometown: Queens, NY
>Occupation: Musician
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Armin van Buuren
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1976
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: Leiden, The Netherlands
>Occupation: DJ
Rob Kardashian
> Born on: March 17, 1987
> Holiday: St. Patrick’s Day
> Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
>Occupation: TV personality
Demaryius Thomas
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1987
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: Montrose, GA
>Occupation: Football wide receiver
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Adele
> Born on: May 5, 1988
> Holiday: Cinco de Mayo
> Hometown: London, England
>Occupation: Musician
Chris Brown
> Born on: May 5, 1989
> Holiday: Cinco de Mayo
> Hometown: Tappahannock, VA
>Occupation: Musician
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Freddie Highmore
> Born on: Feb. 14, 1992
> Holiday: Valentine’s Day
> Hometown: London, England
>Occupation: Actor
Post Malone
> Born on: July 4, 1995
> Holiday: Independence Day
> Hometown: Syracuse, NY
>Occupation: Musician
Gabby Douglas
> Born on: Dec. 31, 1995
> Holiday: New Year’s Eve
> Hometown: Newport News, VA
>Occupation: Artistic gymnast
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