Discover the most famous people born in 1899. The list includes people like Ernest Hemingway, Al Capone, Alfred Hitchcock, Humphrey Bogart, Fred Astaire and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include political leaders, novelists, poets and soldiers born in 1899. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, Germany & France and many more countries.
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1
Ernest Hemingway(American Literary Icon Who Was Known for His Straightforward Prose & Use of Understatement)
Birthdate: 21st July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Oak Park, Illinois, United States
Died: July 2, 1961
Ernest Hemingway was an American novelist and short-story writer who had a strong impact on 20th-century fiction. He published seven novels and six short-story collections and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls and The Old Man and the Sea are some of his classic works. He ended his own life in July 1961.
Birthdate: 13th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Leytonstone, London, England
Died: April 29, 1980
Popularly known as the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock pioneered the Hitchcockian style of filmmaking. One of the most studied filmmakers in the world, Hitchcock is also one of the most influential in the history of cinema. In his career, that spanned six decades, he directed some of the greatest films of all time, such as Psycho and Vertigo.
3
Humphrey Bogart(Best Known for His Roles in the Films: ‘Casablanca’, ‘The African Queen’ and ‘The Maltese Falcon’)
Birthdate: 25th December
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: January 14, 1957
Humphrey Bogart is considered one of the greatest Hollywood actors and a legend. His filmography includes classics such as Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, To Have and Have Not, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, In a Lonely Place and The Caine Mutiny. He won Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1951 film The African Queen.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: 10th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Died: June 22, 1987
Fred Astaire was an American actor, television presenter, dancer, choreographer, and singer. Widely regarded as the most influential dancer in film history, Astaire was known for his innovation, perfectionism, and an uncanny sense of rhythm. Also known for his fashion sense, Fred Astaire remained a male fashion icon throughout his career, which spanned more than seven decades.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: 29th April
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
Died: May 24, 1974
Jazz legend Duke Ellington managed his orchestra till his death, and over a 6-decade-long career. He is known for his collaborations with legends such as pianist and composer Billy Strayhorn. He termed his music “American music” and refused to attach any category to it. He received a posthumous Pulitzer Prize.
6
James Cagney(One of the Greatest Male Stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood)
Birthdate: 17th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Lower East Side, New York, United States
Died: March 30, 1986
James Cagney was an American dancer and actor who won theAcademy Awardfor his performance in the 1942 musical, Yankee Doodle Dandy. In 1984, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contributions to the entertainment industry. In 1999, he was named in the American Film Institute's Greatest Male Stars of the Classical Hollywood Cinema list.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: 23rd April
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: July 2, 1977
Russian author Vladimir Nabokov, also known by his pen name, Vladimir Sirin, is best remembered for his controversial novel Lolita. His other works include the novel Pale Fire and his memoir, Speak, Memory. He was also an entomologist, specializing in lepidoptery. He also liked composing chess problems.
8
Gloria Swanson(Actress and Producer Best Known for Her Motion Picture Drama ‘Sunset Boulevard’)
Birthdate: 27th March
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: April 4, 1983
Actress and producer, Gloria Swanson, appeared in dozens of silent films in the 1920s and became a prominent Hollywood figure. As a teenager, she ventured into acting by chance and became a popular face soon after. After establishing herself as an actress, she became a filmmaker as well and is considered one of the film industry's pioneering women filmmakers.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: 1st July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England
Died: December 15, 1962
Charles Laughton is best known for his Academy Award-winning performance in The Private Life of Henry VIII and his Academy Award-nominated roles in Mutiny on the Bounty and Witness for the Prosecution. He played Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. He was also a skilled Shakespearean theater actor.
10
P. L. Travers(Best Known as the Author of 'Mary Poppins' Series of Books)
Birthdate: 9th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Maryborough, Australia
Died: April 23, 1996
Australian-British author and Shakespearean actor Pamela Lyndon Travers, known by her pseudonym, P. L. Travers, soared to fame with her Mary Poppins series of children's books. Disney later bought the rights to her Mary Poppins series and released a film version. It was later made into a Broadway play, too.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: 15th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Spalding, Idaho, United States
Died: December 16, 1997
12
Friedrich von Hayek(Austrian–British Economist, Philosopher and Winner of the 1974 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences)
Birthdate: 8th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: March 23, 1992
A winner of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, Friedrich von Hayek, was an advocate of classical liberalism. The Austrian-British economist, who was also a political philosopher, co-founded the Mont Pelerin Society. He worked at the London School of Economics, the University of Chicago and the University of Freiburg and authored the popular book, The Road to Serfdom.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: 28th August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Figeac, France
Died: August 26, 1978
French-American actor Charles Boyer appeared in more than 80 films in a career that spanned over half a century. He pursued a theatrical career as a young man and eventually moved into films. He achieved extreme popularity with his roles in romantic movies like The Garden of Allah and Love Affair in the 1930s. He received four Academy Award nominations.
14
Hoagy Carmichael(Pianist and singer who composed many classic songs, including "Star Dust" and "Heart and Soul.")
Birthdate: 22nd November
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bloomington, Indiana, United States
Died: December 27, 1981
Recommended Lists:15
Jorge Luis Borges(Short Story Writer & Essayist Best Known for His Books 'Ficciones' & 'El Aleph')
Birthdate: 24th August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Died: June 14, 1986
Jorge Luis Borges was an Argentine essayist, poet, short-story writer, and translator. An important figure in Spanish-language literature, Jorge Luis Borges' works have contributed immensely to fantasy and the philosophical literature genre. It is also said that his works, which incorporated themes like labyrinths, dreams, and mythology, marked the beginning of 20th-century Latin American literature's magic realist movement.
16
Burt Munro(New Zealand Motorcycle Racer Who Set an Under-1,000 CC World Record)
Birthdate: 25th March
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Invercargill, New Zealand
Died: January 6, 1978
New Zealand motorcyclist Burt Munro made three world records, traveling in his Indian motorcycle from New Zealand to the Bonneville Salt Flats in the U.S., and the one made in 1967 still remains unbroken. The 2005 film The World's Fastest Indian, based on his life, featured Anthony Hopkins as Munro.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: 11th March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Sorgenfri Palace, Lyngby, Denmark
Died: January 14, 1972
Frederick IX of Denmark reigned as the king of Denmark from 1947 until his death in 1972. Under his reign, the Danish society experienced a rapid change; the economy received a massive boost in the 1960s which allowed women to enter the labor market. In 1982, Frederick's statue was unveiled in Copenhagen, ten years after his death.
18
Percy Lavon Julian(One of the First African Americans to Receive a Doctorate in Chemistry)
Birthdate: 11th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Montgomery, Alabama, United States
Died: April 19, 1975
Percy Lavon Julian was an American chemist whose work paved the way for the production of birth control pills and corticosteroids. Julian went on to start his own company which helped reduce the price of steroid intermediates. In 1973, Percy Lavon Julian was inducted into the National Academy of Sciences and became the first African-American to receive this honor.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: 28th August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Taishan, Guangdong, China
Died: July 12, 1976
Chinese-American James Wong Howe Known, known as The Poet of the Camera, had aspired to be a boxer but then earned his living as a bellboy and a cleaner, before stepping into cinematography. The Oscar-winning cinematographer used innovative techniques with the camera, such as roller-skating to film fighting scenes.
20
Ramon Novarro(One of the Top Box Office Attractions of the 1920s and Early 1930s)
Birthdate: 6th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Durango, Mexico
Died: October 30, 1968
Ramon Novarro was a Mexican-American actor who went on to become one of the most bankable actors during the 1920s and early-1930s. Promoted as a Latin lover, Ramon Novarro was regarded as a sex symbol in Hollywood. His murder, which took place on October 30, 1968, inspired several works of art like short stories, songs, and TV series.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: 27th August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt
Died: April 2, 1966
Birthdate: 16th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Teddington, England
Died: March 26, 1973
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English composer, playwright, singer, director, and actor. Renowned for his flamboyance and wit, Coward's style and work continue to influence popular culture. A recipient of several prestigious awards, including an Academy Honorary Award, Coward did not acknowledge his homosexuality publicly, although it was later discussed by biographers like Graham Payn.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: 7th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Died: January 24, 1983
24
Irving Thalberg(Film producer)
Birthdate: 30th May
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died: September 14, 1936
Recommended Lists:25
Francis Poulenc(French Composer and Pianist Known for His Works: ‘Trois mouvements perpétuels’, ‘Les biches’ and ‘Concert champêtre’)
Birthdate: 7th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: January 30, 1963
French composer Francis Poulenc was most self-taught, as he was not encouraged to join a music school by his pharmaceutical manufacturer father. Part of the legendary “Les Six” of French music, Poulenc was also a skilled pianist. He is also remembered for the opera Les dialogues des Carmélites.
26
Harold Abrahams( Olympic Champion in 1924 in the 100 metres Sprint)
Birthdate: 15th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bedford, Bedfordshire, England
Died: January 14, 1978
English track and field athlete is best remembered for his gold medal win in the 100m race at the Paris Olympics in 1924. Part of the Achilles Club, he and his exploits inspired the 1981 film Chariots of Fire. Following his retirement, he became a broadcaster and sports administrator.
Recommended Lists:27
Glenn Strange(Actor, Singer)
Birthdate: 16th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Weed, New Mexico, United States
Died: September 20, 1973
Birthdate: 24th May
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Churulia, India
Died: August 29, 1976
The Rebel Poet of Bengal Kazi Nazrul Islam is remembered for his vast body of literary work, including poems and songs written during the British Raj, mostly laced with socio-political overtones. His songs, known as Nazrul Geeti, are the staple for any Bengali household. He is also Bangladesh’s national poet.
Recommended Lists:29
Weegee(Photographer, Photojournalist, Journalist)
Birthdate: 12th June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York City
Died: December 26, 1968
Birthdate: 20th June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Béziers
Died: July 8, 1943
Jean Moulin was a French civil servant who played an important role during theFrench Resistance, which took place during the Second World War. In 1943, Moulin served as the president of the National Resistance Council, a body that directed the various movements of the French Resistance. Today, Moulin is remembered as one of the heroes of theFrench Resistance.
31
Walter Lantz(Cartoonist)
Birthdate: 27th April
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York, United States
Died: March 22, 1994
32
Corneliu Zelea Codreanu(Romanian Politician & Founder and Leader of the Legionary Movement (Iron Guard))
Birthdate: 13th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Huși, Romania
Died: November 30, 1938
Romanian far-right politician Corneliu Zelea Codreanu founded the anti-Semitic and fascist movement called Iron Guard, also known as the Legionary Movement. While the movement turned into a successful political party, it was crushed by King Carol II, while Codreanu was imprisoned and then shot to death while escaping.
Birthdate: 14th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom
Died: July 6, 1982
Birthdate: 22nd July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Zombodze, Swaziland
Died: August 21, 1982
Sobhuza II was the king of Swaziland from 1899 to 1982, although his coronation took place in 1921 as he was too young to rule early in his reign. His reign of 82 years and 254 days makes him the longest-reigning monarch in recorded history. Sobhuza II played a key role in events that eventually led to his country's independence.
35
Colleen Moore(Actress)
Birthdate: 19th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Port Huron, Michigan, U.S.
Died: January 25, 1988
36
Brassaï(Photographer, Artist and Writer Known for His Dramatic Photographs of Paris at Night)
Birthdate: 9th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Brașov, Romania
Died: July 8, 1984
Gyula Halász, or Brassaï, derived his pseudonym from the city of his birth, Brassó, then in Hungary. Later, he moved to Paris, where he began his career as a photographer. He published his works in volumes such as Paris de nuit. He was also a sculptor and a poet.
37
S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike(Diplomat, Politician, Lawyer)
Birthdate: 8th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Colombo
Died: September 26, 1959
38
Erich Kästner(Known Primarily for His Humorous, Socially Astute Poems and the Children’s Book 'Emil and the Detectives')
Birthdate: 23rd February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Dresden, Germany
Died: July 29, 1974
Four-time Nobel Prize-nominated German author Erich Kästne is best remembered for his children’s books such as Emil and the Detectives. Initially aspiring to be a teacher, he later had stints as a journalist and a freelance author. A leading satirist, he contributed to Die Weltbühne and also headed PEN.
39
Akim Tamiroff(Academy Award Nominated Actor Known for His Films: 'The General Died at Dawn', 'For Whom the Bell Tolls')
Birthdate: 29th October
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Tiflis or Baku, Russian Empire
Died: September 17, 1972
Armenian-origin American film and TV actor Akim Tamiroff is best remembered for his Academy Award-nominated performances in The General Died at Dawn and For Whom the Bell Tolls. Considered the first big Armenian-American star, he also appeared in several series, such as Naked City and Tales of the Vikings.
40
Udham Singh(Indian Revolutionary Known for Assassinating ‘Michael O’Dwyer’, the Former Lieutenant Governor of the Punjab in India)
Birthdate: 26th December
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Sunam, Punjab, India
Died: July 31, 1940
41
Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia(Imperial Highness)
Birthdate: 26th June
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Peterhof, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: July 17, 1918
Birthdate: 19th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Guatemala City, Guatemala
Died: June 9, 1974
Miguel Ãngel Asturias was a Guatemalan poet-diplomat, journalist, playwright, and novelist. He played a significant role in spreading the importance of indigenous cultures. In 1966, he was honored with the International Lenin Peace Prize. In 1967, he became only the second Latin American author to win the prestigious Nobel Prize for Literature.
Birthdate: 5th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Culloden, Georgia, United States
Died: September 15, 1964
Remembered as a medical pioneer and a much-loved mentor, Alfred Blalock is especially noted for his work on traumatic and hemorrhagic shock, which saved thousands of lives during WWII. Working with Vivien Thomas and Helen Taussig, he also developed the Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt. Designed to treat children with Blue Baby Syndrome, it ushered a revolution in the field of cardiac surgery.
44
Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney(American Businessman, Producer and Polo Player)
Birthdate: 20th February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Roslyn, New York, United States
Died: December 13, 1992
45
Leo Strauss(German-American Political Philosopher Known for His Work: ‘Persecution and the Art of Writing’ and ‘Thoughts on Machiavelli’)
Birthdate: 20th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Kirchhain, Germany
Died: October 18, 1973
Though he never received enough fame during his lifetime, political philosopher Leo Strauss made significant contributions to classical political theory. Apart from penning scholarly works such as On Tyranny and Natural Right and History, he had also served in World War I and taught political science.
46
Gussie Busch(Business Magnate)
Birthdate: 28th March
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Died: September 29, 1989
47
Elizabeth Bowen(Novelist)
Birthdate: 7th June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Died: February 22, 1973
48
Hart Crane(Poet)
Birthdate: 21st July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Garrettsville, Ohio, United States
Died: April 27, 1932
49
László Bíró(Inventor)
Birthdate: 29th September
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Budapest
Died: October 24, 1985
Starting his career as a journalist, László Bíró also tried his hand at Surrealist painting in his early days. Trying to come up with a writing device that would use a fast-drying ink type, he invented the ballpoint pen. Invited by the Argentine government, he set up his pen manufacturing company there.
50
DeFord Bailey(Harmonica player in the early twentieth century who became the Grand Ole Opry's first major star)
Birthdate: 14th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Smith County, Tennessee, United States
Died: July 2, 1982
