Born 1945

Jerome Drayton (1945–2025), Boston Marathon winner

Jerome Drayton was one of the top long-distance runners of the 1970s and the last Canadian man to win the Boston Marathon. 

Robert Machray (1945–2025), fainting Santa from M&Ms ad

Robert Machray was a character actor known for his recurring role on “Cheers” and for starring in a long-running TV commercial for M&Ms.

Leslie Charleson (1945–2025), General Hospital star 

Leslie Charleson was an actress who played Chief of Staff Monica Quartermaine on “General Hospital” for decades.

Bill Melton (1945–2024), 1971 home run champ

Bill Melton was a longtime third baseman for the Chicago White Sox who became the first Sox player to lead the American League in home runs when he accomplished the feat in 1971.

Bruce Degen (1945–2024), The Magic School Bus illustrator

Bruce Degen was an artist and writer best known for illustrating dozens of books for young readers, including the beloved children’s book series “The Magic School Bus.”

Patti McGee (1945–2024), first female skateboarding champion

Patti McGee was the first woman to skateboard professionally and the first winner of the women’s division of the National Skateboard Championships.

Cleo Sylvestre (1945–2024), trailblazing British actress and singer

Cleo Sylvestre was a British actress and singer who achieved several firsts, including being the first female vocalist to record with the Rolling Stones. 

J.D. Souther (1945–2024), co-writer of The Eagles’ most popular hits

J.D. Souther was a singer, songwriter, and occasional actor best known for penning hits for The Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, including “New Kid in Town” and “Heartache Tonight.” 

Simon Verity (1945–2024), master stone carver known for cathedrals

Simon Verity was a British master stone carver whose detailed work graces such buildings as New York City’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine and England’s Canterbury Cathedral.

Whitney Rydbeck (1945–2024), one of the original crash test dummies

Whitney Rydbeck was a film and television actor with a penchant for physical comedy, perhaps best known for portraying one of the original crash test dummies in a classic 1980s public safety campaign. 

Lou Dobbs (1945–2024), television host and political commentator

Lou Dobbs was a television host and political commentator best known for his 30-year association with CNN and his decade with Fox Business Network, a tenure which came to an end when Dobbs was fired after promoting election conspiracies. 

Sika Anoa’i (1945–2024), WWE Hall of Famer

Sika Anoa’i was a professional wrestler best known as half of the Wild Samoans tag team and the father of current WWE superstar Roman Reigns.

Ann Lurie (1945–2024), nurse who became major philanthropist 

Ann Lurie was a nurse who became one of Chicago’s best known and most generous philanthropists.

Doug Ingle (1945–2024), In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida singer and songwriter

Doug Ingle was a keyboard player who founded the pioneering band Iron Butterfly, for whom he wrote and delivered vocals on the 17-minute rock epic, “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.”

John Barbata (1945–2024), drummer for The Turtles, Jefferson Airplane

John Barbata was a drummer for such bands as The Turtles, Jefferson Airplane and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. 

David Sanborn (1945–2024), Grammy-winning saxophonist

David Sanborn was a six-time Grammy-winning saxophonist whose smooth jazz broke through to the mainstream, with a dozen albums hitting the Billboard Top 200.

Ron Ellis (1945–2024), Stanley Cup champ with the Maple Leafs

Ron Ellis played for the Toronto Maple Leafs for 16 seasons, including their Stanley Cup-winning year in 1967.

Ken Holtzman (1945–2024), pitcher for Cubs, A’s 

Ken Holtzman was a pitcher who threw two no-hitters with the Chicago Cubs and won three World Series with the Oakland A’s.

Larry Lucchino (1945–2024), baseball exec who revitalized the Red Sox 

Larry Lucchino was a baseball executive whose tenures as president of the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and San Diego Padres helped create two new “retro” stadiums and turned the Red Sox into a modern dynasty.

Ramona Edelin (1945–2024), activist who coined the term African American

Ramona Edelin was an academic and civil rights activist who helped bring the term African American into widespread use. 

Walt Wesley (1945–2024), former NBA player and Kansas Jayhawk 

Walt Wesley was a 10-year NBA veteran anda star player with the University of Kansas Jayhawks.

Lynne Marta (1945–2024), actress in Footloose, Days of Our Lives

Lynne Marta was an actress known for her performances in such movies and TV shows as “Footloose,” “Days of Our Lives,” and “Love, American Style.” 

Amalija Knavs (1945–2024), Melania Trump’s mother

Amalija Knavs was the mother of former First Lady Melania Trump. 

Franz Beckenbauer (1945–2024), German soccer legend 

Franz Beckenbauer was a German soccer legend who won World Cups both as a player and as a coach.

Michael Bishop (1945–2023), award-winning science fiction author

Michael Bishop was an award-winning science fiction author known for “No Enemy But Time” and “The Quickening,” both of which won Nebula Awards.

Conny Van Dyke (1945–2023), singer and Dixie Dancekings actress

Conny Van Dyke was an actress and singer who signed with Motown Records and is known for films such as “W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings” and “Framed.”

Terence Davies (1945–2023), British filmmaker and author

Terence Davies was a British filmmaker and author who was known for semi-autobiographical works like “Distant Voices, Still Lives,” as well as such adaptations as “The House of Mirth” and “The Deep Blue Sea.”

Alamo Jones (1945–2023), “The Voice in Black” radio host

Alamo Jones was a singer and songwriter, a longtime friend of , and the host of “The Alamo Jones Show” on SiriusXM’s Outlaw Country channel.

Hersha Parady (1945–2023), Little House on the Prairie actress

Hersha Parady was an actress best known for playing schoolteacher Alice Garvey in the classic TV drama “Little House on the Prairie.” 

Tom Sawyer (1946–2023), longtime Ohio politician and former mayor

Tom Sawyer was a longtime Ohio politician who served as mayor of Akron, and who was also a U.S. Congressperson, Ohio State Senator, and member of the Ohio State Board of Education. 

Rachel Pollack (1945–2023), leading tarot expert

Rachel Pollack was a writer whose guides to reading tarot cards are considered definitive resources on the art.

Jim Gordon (1945–2023), Derek and the Dominos drummer

Jim Gordon was the drummer for Derek and the Dominos, who cowrote their song “Layla” and also played on many other hits of the 1960s and ‘70s.

Ali Ahmed Aslam (1945–2022), Chicken Tikka Masala inventor

Ali Ahmed Aslam was a restaurant owner in Glasgow, Scotland who was credited with inventing the popular Indian dish Chicken Tikka Masala.

Gal Costa (1945–2022), iconic Brazilian singer

Gal Costa was a Brazilian singer who became an icon of tropicália music, blending traditional styles with rock and avant-garde sounds.

Geraldine Hunt (1945–2022), “Can’t Fake the Feeling” singer

Geraldine Hunt was an R&B singer who had a disco hit in 1980 with “Can’t Fake the Feeling.”

John Jay Osborn Jr. (1945–2022), “The Paper Chase” author

John Jay Osborn Jr. was a lawyer and author who wrote the best-selling novel “The Paper Chase.”

Dan Wieden (1945–2022), adman who created “Just Do It” for Nike

Dan Wieden was an advertising executive who coined the iconic phrase “Just Do It’ for Nike.   

Tony Dow (1945–2022), “Leave It to Beaver” star 

Tony Dow was beloved by generations for his role as older brother Wally Cleaver on the classic family sitcom “Leave It to Beaver.”    

Jim Lynch (1945–2022), legendary Kansas City Chiefs linebacker 

Jim Lynch was a former star linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs who helped them win Super Bowl IV over the Minnesota Vikings.

Mickey Rooney Jr. (1945–2022), actor, musician, and Mickey Rooney’s son

Mickey Rooney Jr. was an actor and musician as well as the son of actor .

William “Poogie” Hart (1945–2022), Delfonics lead singer

William “Poogie” Hart was the founding lead singer for the Delfonics, known for hits including “La-La (Means I Love You).”

Marlin Briscoe (1945–2022), first black starting quarterback in the AFL  

Marlin Briscoe was the first black starting quarterback in the American Football League when he started a game for the Denver Broncos in 1968.

Rockne Freitas (1945–2022), first Native Hawaiian NFL All-Pro

Rockne Freitas was an offensive tackle for the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1960s and ‘70s.

Baxter Black (1945–2022), cowboy poet and NPR commentator

Baxter Black was a cowboy poet who published many books and appeared as a commentator on National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition.”

Rayfield Wright (1945–2022), NFL Hall of Famer with Dallas Cowboys

Rayfield Wright was an offensive tackle who went to five Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1970s.

Gary Brooker (1945–2022), Procol Harum lead singer

Gary Brooker was a co-founder and lead vocalist of the classic progressive rock band Procol Harum known for their song “Whiter Shade of Pale.”

Carol Speed (1945–2022), star of blaxploitation classics “The Mack” and “Abby”

Carol Speed was an actress known for roles in films of the blaxploitation era, including “Abby” and “The Mack.”

Rosa Lee Hawkins (1944–2022), singer with the Dixie Cups

Rosa Lee Hawkins was a singer with the 1960s girl group the Dixie Cups, known for their hits “Chapel of Love” and “Iko Iko.”

Sarah Weddington (1945–2021), Roe v. Wade attorney

Sarah Weddington was an attorney and pro-choice activist who represented Norma McCorvey in the landmark Roe v. Wade case.