Famous people born on December 18th
December 18 is a high-wattage birthday with standout figures across film, music, comedy, activism, sports, and public life. The date spans generations, from 19th-century writers and inventors to modern pop stars and screen icons. Together, these birthdays reflect both mass entertainment and world-changing influence.
Notable highlights
- Brad Pitt (1963) - A defining modern movie star whose producer credits helped bring award-winning films like "12 Years a Slave" to the screen.
- Steven Spielberg (1947) - A director who reshaped blockbuster storytelling and also elevated historical drama through films like "Schindler's List".
- Christina Aguilera (1980) - A powerhouse vocalist whose early-2000s reinvention cemented her as a lasting pop-and-R&B force.
- Billie Eilish (2001) - A genre-blurring songwriter who helped redefine mainstream pop with minimalist production and intimate lyricism.
- Keith Richards (1943) - The Rolling Stones guitarist whose riff-driven style became a template for rock rhythm guitar.
- Ty Cobb (1886) - A baseball legend whose aggressive play and record-setting hitting made him one of the sport's most debated greats.
- Steven Biko (1946) - An anti-apartheid leader whose Black Consciousness movement emphasized psychological liberation as a political necessity.
- Edwin Armstrong (1890) - An inventor central to modern radio, including breakthroughs that enabled high-fidelity FM broadcasting.
- Hector Hugh Munro (Saki) (1870) - A master of sharp, dark short stories whose wit and twist endings still influence satirical fiction.
- Ron White (1956) - A comedian known for his laid-back, storytelling delivery and his prominence in the Blue Collar comedy boom.
On this day
- 1865 - The 13th Amendment abolishing slavery is proclaimed adopted in the United States.
- 1912 - The Piltdown Man hoax is announced in England, later exposed as a major scientific fraud.
- 1958 - The United States launches SCORE, the first communications satellite, which also broadcasts a recorded presidential message.
- 1997 - Hong Kong begins culling poultry to contain an H5N1 bird flu outbreak, a landmark moment in modern public-health response.