Famous people born on October 30th
October 30 gathers an unusually wide range of innovators and public figures, from founders of nations and theorists of society to poets who reshaped modern literature. The date also features standout talent in music, film, and sport, reflecting how influence can travel through many different kinds of work. Whether your interest is politics, art, or pop culture, this birthday list has depth and surprises.
Notable highlights
- John Adams (1735) - A principal architect of American independence who later became the second President of the United States.
- Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751) - Satirized manners and politics with enduring stagecraft, especially in the classic comedy "The School for Scandal".
- Paul Valery (1871) - A master of precision and reflection whose poems and essays explored consciousness, art, and the life of the mind.
- Ezra Pound (1885) - A catalytic modernist who championed imagism and edited peers with an intensity that changed 20th-century poetry.
- Alfred Sisley (1839) - An Impressionist devoted to landscapes, celebrated for luminous skies and a calm, atmospheric palette.
- Jean Rostand (1894) - A biologist and influential science writer who helped bring genetics and ethics into public conversation.
- Robert Caro (1935) - A Pulitzer-winning biographer whose deep reporting and archival rigor redefined modern political biography.
- Diego Maradona (1960) - A football icon whose artistry and audacity made him one of the sport's most mythic figures.
- Henry Winkler (1945) - A television mainstay who parlayed early stardom into a long career as an actor, producer, and author.
- Grace Slick (1939) - A defining voice of psychedelic rock whose commanding performances helped shape the sound of a generation.
On this day
- 1938 - Orson Welles' radio adaptation of "The War of the Worlds" aired in the United States, famously alarming some listeners.
- 1945 - The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration began winding down operations as postwar relief structures shifted.
- 1961 - The Soviet Union tested the "Tsar Bomba", the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated, over Novaya Zemlya.
- 1975 - Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier in the "Thrilla in Manila", one of boxing's most storied heavyweight bouts.