Famous People Born In
The Month Of January
And Notable Events
Born today?
Well known people born on January 17th - your in good company
Well known people born on January 17th - your in good company
Benjamin Franklin FRS (January 17, 1706 [O.S. January 6, 1705][Note 1] – April 17, 1790) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and in many ways was "the First American".[1] A renowned polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. As a scientist, he was a major figure in the American Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. As an inventor, he is known for the lightning rod, bifocals, and the Franklin stove, among other inventions.[2]He facilitated many civic organizations, including Philadelphia's fire department and a university.
Franklin earned the title of "The First American" for his early and indefatigable campaigning for colonial unity; as an author and spokesman in London for several colonies, then as the first United States Ambassador to France, he exemplified the emerging American nation.[3] Franklin was foundational in defining the American ethos as a marriage of the practical values of thrift, hard work, education, community spirit, self-governing institutions, and opposition to authoritarianism both political and religious, with the scientific and tolerant values of the Enlightenment. In the words of historian Henry Steele Commager, "In a Franklin could be merged the virtues of Puritanism without its defects, the illumination of the Enlightenment without its heat."[4] To Walter Isaacson, this makes Franklin "the most accomplished American of his age and the most influential in inventing the type of society America would become."[5] more.......... |
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone (/æl kəˈpoʊn/; January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947) was an American gangster who attained fame during the Prohibition era. His seven-year reign as crime boss ended when he was 33 years old.
Born in the borough of Brooklyn in New York City to Italian immigrants, Capone was a Five Points Gang member who became a bouncer in organized crime premises such as brothels. In his early twenties, he moved to Chicago and became bodyguard and trusted factotum for Johnny Torrio, head of a criminal syndicate that illegally supplied alcohol and that was politically protected through the Unione Siciliane. A conflict with the North Side Gang was instrumental in Capone's rise and fall, as Torrio went into retirement and moved back to Italy after North Side gunmen almost killed him, thereby bringing about Capone's succession. Capone expanded the bootlegging business through increasingly violent means, but his mutually profitable relationships with mayor William Hale Thompson and the city's police meant Capone seemed safe from law enforcement. Apparently reveling in the attention, such as the cheers when he appeared at ball games, Capone made donations to various charities and was viewed by many to be a "modern-day Robin Hood". However, the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre of gang rivals from the North Side Gang damaged Chicago's image, leading influential citizens to demand governmental action. more........ |
Betty White Ludden (born Betty Marion White; January 17, 1922), known professionally as Betty White, is an American actress, singer, author, producer, radio host and television personality. In 2013, the Guinness World Records awarded White with having the longest television career for a female entertainer.[2] To contemporary audiences, White is best known for her television roles as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1973–77) and Rose Nylund onThe Golden Girls (1985–92). The Writers Guild of America has included both sitcoms in its list of the 101 Best Written TV Series Of All Time.[3] Since the death of co-star Rue McClanahan in 2010, she is the only surviving Golden Girl. Since 2010 she has starred as Elka Ostrovsky in the TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland, for which she has won two consecutiveScreen Actors Guild Awards. She also hosted NBC's practical-joke show Betty White's Off Their Rockers, which resulted in three consecutive Emmy nominations.
White is regarded as a pioneer of American television for being one of the first women to have creative control in front of and behind the camera;[4] she is also noted for being the first woman to produce a sitcom [5] which contributed to her receiving the honorary title as the Mayor of Hollywood in 1955.[6] In a career that has spanned more than 70 years,White has received three American Comedy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild awards,four Golden Globes nominations, aBAFTA, a Grammy and 23 Emmy nominations with six wins.[7] White is the only woman to have won an Emmy in all performing comedic categories and also holds the record for longest span between Emmy nominations for performances....... more........ |
James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931)[2] is an American actor who in a career of more than 60 years has become known as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors[3] and "one of the greatest actors in American history."[4] Since his Broadway debut in 1957, Jones has won many awards, including a Tony Award and Golden Globe Award for his role in The Great White Hope. Jones has won three Emmy Awards, including two in the same year in 1991, and he also earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role in the film version of The Great White Hope. He is also known for his voice acting, most notably as Darth Vader in the Star Wars film series and Mufasain Disney's The Lion King, as well as many other film, stage, and television roles.
As a child Jones overcame a stutter that lasted for several years. A pre-med major in college, he went on to serve as a U.S. Army Ranger during the Korean War, before pursuing a career in acting. On November 12, 2011, he received an Honorary Academy Award.[4] more........ |
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