December 31st Birthdays

Singer and composer Rita Lee was born on this day in 1947 in São Paulo, Brazil. Rita sold more than 60 million albums worldwide in her lifetime. She passed away at her home in São Paulo on May 8, 2023, at age 75. Here she is with a cover of Carmen Miranda’s “I Like You Very Much.”

Also born on December 31st:

• 1930
  Mani Neumeier, German musician
• 1931
  Sarah Miles, English actress
• 1932
  Andy Summers, British guitarist
• 1933
  Sir Ben Kingsley, English actor
• 1935
  Barbara Carrera, Nicaraguan actress and model
• 1937
  Sir Anthony Hopkins, Welsh actor
• 1947
  Burton Cummings, Canadian keyboardist
  Tim Matheson, American actor
  Rita Lee, Brazilian rock star
• 1948
  Joe Dallesandro American actor
• 1951
  Tom Hamilton, American bassist
• 1953
  James Remar, American actor
  Jane Badler, American actress
• 1958
  Bebe Neuwirth, American actress
• 1959
  Val Kilmer, American actor
  Paul Westerberg, American musician
• 1961
  Rick Aguilera, American baseball player
• 1962
  Heather McCartney, British activist
  Tyrone Corbin, American basketball player
• 1963
  Scott Ian, American guitarist (Anthrax)
• 1969
  Lance Reddick, American actor
• 1970
  Bryon Russell, American basketball player
• 1971
  Brent Barry, American basketball player
• 1972
  Joe McIntyre, American singer
• 1973
  Shandon Anderson, American basketball player
• 1977
  Psy, South Korean singer
• 1978
  Papoose, American rapper
• 1979
  Elaine Cassidy, Irish actress
• 1980
  Jesse Carlson, American baseball player
• 1981
  Jason Campbell, American football player
• 1983
  Mike Williams, American football player
• 1986
  Bronson Pelletier, Canadian actor
• 1987
  Javaris Crittenton, American basketball player

Died on December 31st:

• 1972
  Roberto Clemente, Puerto Rican-American baseball player (age 38)
• 1980
  Raoul Walsh, American actor, director (age 83)
• 1985
  Ricky Nelson, American singer, actor (age 45)
• 1996
  Wesley Addy, American actor (age 83)
• 1997
  Floyd Cramer, American singer, pianist (age 64)
  Billie Dove, American actress (age 94)
• 2001
  Eileen Heckart, American actress (age 82)
• 2007
  Bill Idelson, American actor, screenwriter (age 88)
• 2012
  Peter Ebert, English director, producer (age 94)
• 2014
  Edward Herrmann, American actor (age 71)
• 2015
  Natalie Cole, American singer, actress (age 65)
  Wayne Rogers, American actor (age 82)
  Beth Howland, American actress (age 76)
• 2016
  William Christopher, American actor (age 84)
• 2021
  Ray Sawyer, American singer (age 81)
• 2021
  Betty White, American actress (age 99)
• 2022
  Pope Benedict XVI, Roman Catholic Pope; first Pope to resign since 1415 (age 95)
  Anita Pointer, American singer (age 74)
• 2023
  Shecky Greene, American comedian (age 97)