Born 1947

Wings Hauser (1947–2025), Vice Squad actor

Wings Hauser was a character actor whose many roles spanned decades and included parts in “Vice Squad,” “Beverly Hills 90210,” “Roseanne,” and many other productions.

Paquita la del Barrio (1947–2025), acclaimed Mexican singer 

Paquita la del Barrio was a Mexican singer, songwriter, and actress whose songs often confronted women’s issues and butted heads with “macho” culture.

Angus MacInnes (1947–2024), Star Wars’ Gold Leader

Angus MacInnes was a Canadian actor best known for playing Jon "Dutch" Vander, the Y-wing pilot Gold Leader in the original “Star Wars” film, as well as for giving audiences laughs in the comedy “Strange Brew.”

Mark Withers (1947–2024), actor in Dynasty, Stranger Things

Mark Withers was an actor best known for playing Ted Dinard in the first season of “Dynasty.” 

Wayne Northrop (1947–2024), Days of Our Lives star

Wayne Northrop was an actor best known for his performances in the soap operas “Days of Our Lives,” “Dynasty,” and “Port Charles.” 

Libby Titus (1947–2024), Love Has No Pride singer-songwriter

Libby Titus was a singer and songwriter known for “Love Has No Pride,” which has been covered by such artists as Bonnie Raitt and Linda Ronstadt.

Eugene “Mercury” Morris (1947–2024), two-time Super Bowl winner

Eugene “Mercury” Morris was a running back with the Miami Dolphins, winning two Super Bowls with the team in the 1970s and earning three Pro Bowl selections. 

Duane Thomas (1947–2024), Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl champion 

Duane Thomas was an NFL running back and 1970 Rookie of the Year Award winner who played on the Dallas Cowboys’ first Super Bowl-winning team.

Dave Loggins (1947–2024), Please Come to Boston singer-songwriter

Dave Loggins was a singer and songwriter best known for his 1974 soft rock hit “Please Come to Boston” and the theme song to the Masters Golf Tournament.

Pat Colbert (1947–2024), actress who played Dora Mae on Dallas

Pat Colbert was an actress best known for her performance on “Dallas” as Dora Mae, host of the Oil Baron’s Club.0

Jamie Kellner (1947–2024), TV exec who launched Fox and the WB

Jamie Kellner was a prominent television executive best known for helping launch Fox and the WB, and for overseeing networks like TBS, TNT, and CNN.

Peggi Blu (1946–2024), Star Search champ and American Idol vocal coach

Peggi Blu was a “Star Search” champion in 1986, an R&B singer who backed up for artists like Bob Dylan and Barbra Streisand, and a vocal coach on “American Idol.”

Clarence Sasser (1947–2024), Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient 

Clarence Sasser was a U.S. Army combat medic in the Vietnam War who was given the Medal of Honor for his valor in rescuing the wounded.

Paul Auster (1947–2024), New York Trilogy author 

Paul Auster was a novelist, poet, and screenwriter best known for his “The New York Trilogy,” the collection of his books “City of Glass,” “Ghosts,” and “The Locked Room.”

Terry Anderson (1947–2024), reporter held hostage in Lebanon

Terry Anderson was an Associated Press reporter who was held hostage in Lebanon by Islamic militants for nearly seven years from 1985 to 1991.

O.J. Simpson (1947–2024), NFL star, defendant in trial of the century

O.J. Simpson was an NFL star of the 1970s’ Buffalo Bills who went on to an acting career before becoming embroiled in one of the most notorious trials of the 20th century, accused of murdering his ex-wife.

Gerry Conway (1947–2024), drummer for Cat Stevens, Jethro Tull 

Gerry Conway was a British folk-rock drummer who backed Cat Stevens in the 1970s and was a member of Jethro Tull and Fairport Convention. 

Jennifer Leak (1947–2024), The Young and the Restless actress 

Jennifer Leak was an actress known for roles in such movies and TV shows as “Yours, Mine and Ours” and “The Young and the Restless.” 

Bill Plummer (1947–2024), World Series champ with Reds 

Bill Plummer was a Major League Baseball catcher who won two World Series with the Cincinnati Reds as backup catcher to Johnny Bench.

David Bordwell (1947–2024), longtime Criterion Collection contributor 

David Bordwell was a film scholar and professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a longtime contributor to the Criterion Collection of films.

Richard Lewis (1947–2024), Curb Your Enthusiasm comedian

Richard Lewis was a comedian and actor known for his acerbic style and for TV roles in “Anything but Love” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

Lynda Gravátt (1947–2024), Broadway star who appeared in Law & Order

Lynda Gravátt was an actress known for her Broadway career as well as for roles in such TV shows as “Law & Order” and “The Hoop Life.” 

Claude Montana (1947–2024), era-defining fashion designer

Claude Montana was a French fashion designer whose big-shouldered designs were formative to 1980s fashion.

Bob Edwards (1947–2024), longtime Morning Edition host

Bob Edwards was the original host of NPR’s “Morning Edition” who went on to host “The Bob Edwards Show” on SiriusXM.

Melanie (1947–2024), Brand New Key singer

Melanie was a folk singer and songwriter who had major hits in the 1970s with “Brand New Key” and “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain),” and she was one of three women who performed solo acts at Woodstock.

Reggie Wells (1947–2024), Oprah Winfrey’s longtime makeup artist 

Reggie Wells was Oprah Winfrey’s personal makeup artist for more than 25 years, and he also worked with many other notable women.

Iasos (1947–2024), New Age music pioneer

Iasos was a musician whose 1975 album “Inter-Dimensional Music” was one of the early examples of New Age music.

Masashi Ozawa (1947–2023), pro wrestler known as Killer Khan

Masashi Ozawa was a WWE star of the 1980s who went by the ring name Killer Khan. 

Mary Cleave (1947–2023), NASA astronaut on Space Shuttle Atlantis

Mary Cleave was a NASA astronaut who went to space twice on Space Shuttle Atlantis in the 1980s.

Janet Landgard (1947–2023), The Donna Reed Show actress

Janet Landgard was an actress who played Karen Holmby in three seasons of “The Donna Reed Show” and starred in such movies as “The Swimmer.” 

Burkey Belser (1947–2023), FDA Nutrition Facts label designer

Burkey Belser was a graphic designer best known as the creator of the Nutrition Facts label mandated by the FDA, which adorns most food sold in the United States.

Dennis Austin (1947–2023), PowerPoint co-creator

Dennis Austin was a software developer who co-created the slideshow software PowerPoint. 

Bill Richardson (1947–2023), former governor of New Mexico 

Bill Richardson was a two-term governor of New Mexico who later became a private diplomat advocating for Americans unjustly imprisoned while abroad. 

Linda Haynes (1947–2023), Rolling Thunder star

Linda Haynes was an actress who starred in such movies as “Rolling Thunder,” “Coffy,” and “The Nickel Ride.”

Dave Brandt (1947–2023), innovator farmer who became a meme 

Dave Brandt was a farmer and conservationist who helped educate the agriculture community about soil health and no-till farming. He later became an internet meme known for the saying, “It ain’t much, but it’s honest work.” 

Rita Lee (1947–2023), Brazil’s Queen of Rock 

Rita Lee was a founding singer with the Brazilian band Os Mutantes, known as Brazil’s “Queen of Rock.” 

Ben Shelly (1947–2023), former Navajo Nation president

Former Navajo Nation president Ben Shelly built his reputation on advocating for ambitious infrastructure projects, policies focused on public health, and for means of boosting the Navajo people’s economic status. He was perhaps best known, however, for his unplanned yet passionate speeches on these topics, a trait which helped propel him into office. He was also a business owner with a focus on transportation.

Fito Olivares (1947–2023), Tejano musician known for Juana La Cubana

Born Rodolfo Olivares, musician Fito Olivares began playing the saxophone at 12 and by 16 was performing professionally. He soon began writing his own compositions, establishing himself as an artist who embraced new directions in Mexican cumbia music as adeptly as he adhered to the traditional. He is best known for his hit songs “Juana La Cubana” and “El Colesterol,” which are mainstays at weddings and quinceañeras.

Dick Fosbury (1947–2023), groundbreaking high jump star

Olympic gold medalist Dick Fosbury was an influential high jumper who changed the event forever, pioneering the technique now used by almost every competitive high jumper: the Fosbury Flop. He would be inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame as a result. His gold in 1968 proved to be his only appearance in the Olympics, but the maneuver he invented is now a mainstay.

Judy Heumann (1947–2023), disability rights activist

Judy Heumann was an activist who spent her entire adult life advocating for disability rights. Her work helped lead to the Americans with Disabilities Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Rehabilitation Act. She helped make New York City schools wheelchair accessible, served as an advisor to the World Bank, and was assistant secretary of the U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, among many other accomplishments.

Ben Masters (1947–2023), soap opera star on “Passions”

Ben Masters was an actor best known for playing Julian Crane on “Passions.”

Wilko Johnson (1947–2022), Dr. Feelgood guitarist

Wilko Johnson was a musician and actor who was the guitarist for the British pub rock band Dr. Feelgood and played an executioner in “Game of Thrones.”  

Diane Noomin (1947–2022), pioneering underground comics artist

Diane Noomin was one of the first women working in underground comics, writing and drawing characters including DiDi Glitz.

Albert Woodfox (1947–2022), former prisoner and celebrated author

Albert Woodfox was one of the “Angola Three” prisoners, who were held in solitary confinement for decades, before his post-release life as a prison reform activist.

Bruce Katz (1947–2022), Rockport Shoe Company founder

Bruce Katz was the founder of the Rockport Shoe Company, where he pioneered walking shoes, and Samuel Hubbard, the luxury comfort shoe company.

Cynthia Albritton (1947–2022), artist known as Cynthia Plaster Caster

Cynthia Albritton was a pop artist known as Cynthia Plaster Caster for her casts of rock stars’ penises.

Kathy Lamkin (1947–2022), “No Country for Old Men” actress

Kathy Lamkin was an actress known for her performances in movies including “No Country for Old Men” and the 2003 remake of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”

Johnny Grier (1947–2022), first black referee in the NFL 

Johnny Grier became the first black referee in NFL history at the start of the 1988 season.   

P.J. O’Rourke (1947–2022), conservative political satirist and author

P.J. O’Rourke was a conservative political satirist, journalist, and author known for books including “Parliament of Whores.”