Famous people born on May 9th
May 9 gathers an unusually wide-ranging roster of creators, thinkers, athletes, and public figures. The date spans literary imagination and modern songwriting, alongside influential voices in philosophy, science, and civic life. With 31 notable births, it offers a snapshot of how talent can surface across many disciplines and eras.
Notable highlights
- J. M. Barrie (1860) - The Scottish author who created Peter Pan, reshaping children’s literature with a story that blends wonder and melancholy.
- Billy Joel (1949) - A Long Island singer-songwriter whose piano-driven hits helped define mainstream American pop-rock for decades.
- Alan Bennett (1934) - A distinctive British dramatist and essayist celebrated for wry, observant portraits of everyday life.
- Rosario Dawson (1979) - An actress known for moving between independent film and major franchises while also maintaining a visible public profile beyond acting.
- Candice Bergen (1946) - A screen and television star who became a defining face of smart, modern sitcom comedy with "Murphy Brown".
- Manfred Eigen (1927) - A Nobel Prize-winning chemist recognized for pioneering work in fast chemical reactions and molecular evolution concepts.
- Jose Ortega Y Gasset (1883) - The Spanish philosopher whose writings on society and culture, including "The Revolt of the Masses", remain widely cited.
- Tony Gwynn (1960) - A baseball legend renowned for elite contact hitting and long-term excellence with the San Diego Padres.
- William Moulton Marston (1893) - A psychologist and inventor linked to early lie-detection research and best known as the creator of Wonder Woman.
- Henry J. Kaiser (1882) - An industrialist whose shipbuilding and large-scale infrastructure projects showcased the power of rapid, organized manufacturing.
On this day
- 1092 - Lincoln Cathedral is consecrated in England, becoming a major landmark of medieval religious architecture.
- 1671 - Thomas Blood attempts to steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London in a notorious heist attempt.
- 1864 - In the American Civil War, Ulysses S. Grant orders another assault at Spotsylvania, leading into days of brutal fighting.
- 1950 - Robert Schuman proposes the plan that becomes the foundation of European integration, a key step toward today’s European Union.
- 1974 - The U.S. House Judiciary Committee opens formal impeachment hearings against President Richard Nixon.