Famous people born on December 17th
December 17 brings together an unusually wide range of influential voices, from world-shaping leadership and religious life to enduring breakthroughs in science and the arts. The date spans centuries of achievement, linking Enlightenment-era innovators with modern film, television, and popular music. Whether your interests run to symphonies, statecraft, or storytelling, this birthday roster has depth across many fields.
Notable highlights
- Ludwig van Beethoven (1770) - The revolutionary composer who expanded the scale and emotional range of classical music with landmark symphonies and sonatas.
- Pope Francis (1936) - The first pope from the Americas, known for emphasizing humility, social justice, and global outreach.
- William Lyon Mackenzie King (1874) - Canada’s longest-serving prime minister, who steered the country through major 20th-century political and wartime challenges.
- Humphry Davy (1778) - A pioneer of electrochemistry who isolated several elements and helped transform experimental science into a public spectacle.
- Joseph Henry (1797) - An early master of electromagnetism whose work underpinned later innovations in communication technology and scientific instrumentation.
- John Greenleaf Whittier (1807) - A leading American Quaker poet whose writing blended moral conviction with memorable narrative verse.
- Hu Shih (1891) - A key figure in modern Chinese intellectual life who championed vernacular literature and pragmatic reform.
- Eugene Levy (1946) - A celebrated comedic actor and writer whose long career culminated in acclaimed ensemble work on television.
- Milla Jovovich (1975) - A model-turned-action star recognized globally for leading a major long-running science-fiction franchise.
- Peter Snell (1938) - The New Zealand middle-distance legend who achieved rare Olympic dominance across multiple events.
On this day
- 1903 - The Wright brothers made the first powered, controlled airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
- 1939 - The German battleship Admiral Graf Spee was scuttled off Montevideo after the Battle of the River Plate.
- 1989 - Pro-democracy dissident Vaclav Havel was elected president of Czechoslovakia following the Velvet Revolution.