Famous people born on October 10th
October 10 brings together an unusually wide-ranging set of achievers across exploration, literature, music, politics, and the arts. The day spans centuries of creativity and public service, from classical composition and modern theater to groundbreaking sculpture and beloved popular entertainment. With 36 notable birthdays, the date offers a rich cross-section of people who shaped culture, ideas, and public life in distinct ways.
Notable highlights
- Fridtjof Nansen (1861) - Polar explorer and humanitarian whose Greenland crossing and later refugee work helped define modern relief efforts.
- Giuseppe Verdi (1813) - Italian opera giant whose works became cultural touchstones, with choruses that doubled as symbols of national spirit.
- Thelonious Monk (1917) - Jazz innovator whose angular melodies and distinctive piano touch helped set the language of bebop and modern jazz.
- Harold Pinter (1930) - Nobel Prize-winning dramatist famous for "Pinteresque" tension, where pauses and subtext carry as much weight as dialogue.
- Alberto Giacometti (1901) - Sculptor known for elongated, haunting figures that redefined postwar modernism and how presence is portrayed in space.
- Helen Hayes (1900) - Revered stage and screen star often called the "First Lady of American Theatre", with a career spanning the silent era to late 20th century.
- Nora Roberts (1950) - Prolific bestselling novelist who helped shape modern romance publishing with long-running series and multiple pen names.
- David Lee Roth (1954) - Frontman whose high-voltage showmanship helped define arena rock’s larger-than-life performance style.
- Gavin Newsom (1967) - American politician who rose from city leadership to statewide office, often at the center of major policy debates.
- Brett Favre (1969) - NFL quarterback celebrated for durability and a gunslinger style, becoming one of football’s most recognizable figures.
On this day
- 1780 - A powerful hurricane strikes the Caribbean during the American Revolutionary era, remembered as one of the deadliest Atlantic storms on record.
- 1846 - The U.S. Naval Academy is founded in Annapolis, establishing a formal institution for training naval officers.
- 1911 - The Wuchang Uprising begins, sparking events that lead to the fall of China’s Qing dynasty and the creation of a republic.
- 1985 - The Achille Lauro cruise ship hijacking ends, drawing global attention to modern maritime security and international terrorism.
- 2006 - North Korea conducts its first declared nuclear test, reshaping regional security dynamics and international diplomacy.