“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.
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
Nathaniel Hawthorne
> Born on: July 4, 1804
> Holiday: Independence Day
> Hometown: Salem, MA
>Occupation: Writer
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
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
Humphrey Bogart
> Born on: Dec. 25, 1899
> Holiday: Christmas
> Hometown: New York City, NY
>Occupation: Film and theater actor
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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