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Famous people born on June 28th

June 28 brings together a strikingly varied roster of thinkers, innovators, performers, and public servants. From Enlightenment philosophy and Nobel-level science to blockbuster comedy and modern entrepreneurship, the date spans centuries and disciplines. The range of work represented here shows how ideas, art, and leadership can shape culture in very different ways.

Notable highlights

  • Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712) - An Enlightenment philosopher whose writings on society and education helped reshape modern political thought.
  • Elon Musk (1971) - A tech entrepreneur known for accelerating electric vehicles and commercial spaceflight through Tesla and SpaceX.
  • Mel Brooks (1926) - A comedy legend whose satire-driven films and musicals set a high bar for modern parody.
  • Luigi Pirandello (1867) - A Nobel Prize-winning playwright who blurred reality and identity in works like "Six Characters in Search of an Author".
  • Kathy Bates (1948) - An Academy Award-winning actress celebrated for fearless, transformative performances across film and television.
  • Gilda Radner (1946) - An original "Saturday Night Live" cast member whose characters became foundational to sketch comedy.
  • John Cusack (1966) - A leading man associated with sharp, offbeat roles that defined multiple eras of American cinema.
  • Alexis Carrel (1873) - A pioneering surgeon and researcher who won the Nobel Prize for advances in vascular suturing and transplantation techniques.
  • Muhammad Yunus (1940) - A Nobel Peace Prize laureate recognized for pioneering microcredit and social business models aimed at reducing poverty.
  • Hans Blix (1928) - A diplomat best known internationally for leading UN weapons inspections during high-stakes global debates.

On this day

  • 1914 - The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo triggers the chain of events that leads to World War I.
  • 1919 - The Treaty of Versailles is signed, formally ending World War I and reshaping Europe.
  • 1969 - The Stonewall uprising begins in New York City, becoming a pivotal moment in the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
  • 2004 - The Coalition Provisional Authority transfers sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government.
Author Nationality Profession Quotes Year
Alexis Carrel France Scientist 20 1873 - 1944
Ashley Montagu United Kingdom Scientist 15 1905 - 1999
Brian Roberts USA Businessman 2 1959
Bruce Davison USA Actor 10 1946
Carl Levin USA Politician 20 1934 - 2021
Donald Johanson USA Scientist 19 1943
Ed Pastor USA Politician 13 1943
Elon Musk USA Businessman 14 1971
Esther Forbes USA Author 2 1891 - 1967
Frederick William Faber United Kingdom Theologian 5 1814 - 1863
George Morgan USA Musician 2 1924 - 1975
Georgi Purvanov Bulgaria Statesman 2 1957
Gilda Radner USA Actress 13 1946 - 1989
Hans Blix Sweden Diplomat 27 1928
Harold Evans United Kingdom Journalist 8 1928 - 2020
Howard Barker United Kingdom Playwright 6 1946
Jane Harman USA Politician 14 1945
Jean-Jacques Rousseau France Philosopher 56 1712 - 1778
Jeff Malone USA Athlete 1 1961
Jim Kolbe USA Politician 3 1942
John Cusack USA Actor 33 1966
John Elway USA Athlete 25 1960
Junior Johnson USA Celebrity 2 1931
Kathy Bates USA Actress 8 1948
Kenny Cunningham Ireland Athlete 10 1971
Lalla Ward England Actor 13 1951
Luigi Pirandello Italy Playwright 17 1867 - 1936
Major Owens USA Politician 30 1936
Major R. Owens USA Politician 5 1936 - 2013
Mark Helprin USA Novelist 6 1947
Mary Stuart Masterson USA Actress 11 1966
Mel Brooks USA Comedian 21 1926
Mike Fitzpatrick USA Politician 28 1963 - 2020
Muhammad Yunus Bangladesh Economist 14 1940
Pat Morita Japan Actor 10 1932 - 2005
Pierre Laval France Politician 11 1883 - 1945
Richard Rodgers USA Composer 1 1902 - 1979
Robert Asprin USA Author 6 1946
Rupert Sheldrake United Kingdom Scientist 8 1942
Steve Burton USA Actor 6 1970
William Hooper USA Politician 1 1742 - 1790
William Whitelaw United Kingdom Politician 4 1918 - 1999