Famous people born on December 26th
December 26 gathers an unusually wide-ranging group of innovators and public figures, spanning early computing, modern literature, popular music, and global politics. The date pairs big cultural imaginations with technical minds and leaders who shaped public debates in their eras. From avant-garde art to mass entertainment, these birthdays show how influence can arrive through many different disciplines.
Notable highlights
- Charles Babbage (1791) - Designed the Analytical Engine, a foundational concept for programmable computing long before electronic machines.
- Mao Tse-Tung (1893) - Led the Chinese Communist Revolution and became a defining political figure of the 20th century.
- Henry Miller (1891) - Helped reshape modern autobiographical fiction with candid, boundary-pushing novels such as Tropic of Cancer.
- Jared Leto (1971) - Balanced film stardom with fronting Thirty Seconds to Mars, building a rare dual career in acting and rock music.
- Lars Ulrich (1963) - Co-founded Metallica and became one of metal’s most influential drummers and band architects.
- David Sedaris (1956) - Turned sharply observed personal essays into bestsellers, helped by his distinctive radio storytelling voice.
- Thomas Gray (1716) - Wrote "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard", a cornerstone poem of English literature and reflection.
- Carlton Fisk (1947) - Hall of Fame catcher remembered for durability and iconic postseason moments, especially with the Red Sox.
- Jose Ramos-Horta (1949) - Nobel Peace Prize laureate who became a prominent voice for East Timor’s independence and later served as president.
- Elizabeth David (1913) - Transformed postwar British cooking with influential Mediterranean-focused books that popularized new ingredients and techniques.
On this day
- 1776 - George Washington leads the Continental Army across the Delaware River, setting up the surprise attack at Trenton.
- 1898 - Marie and Pierre Curie announce the discovery of radium, advancing the new science of radioactivity.
- 2004 - A massive Indian Ocean earthquake triggers a devastating tsunami across multiple countries.
- 2006 - Saddam Hussein is sentenced to death by hanging by an Iraqi court for crimes against humanity.