1965

From left to right, top to bottom

President Lyndon B. Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr., and Rosa Parks at the signing of the Voting Rights Act on August 6, 1965.

Indian soldiers with a destroyed Pakistani M4A1 Sherman tank during Second Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 in Jammu and Kashmir .

Winston Churchill's state funeral after his death on 24 January 1965, being carried away to his burial place. It was the largest state funeral in British history.

Alabama Highway Patrol troops attacking civil rights demonstrators during the Selma to Montgomery marches on Black Sunday; March 7, 1965.

Famous tornado photograph of an F4 tornado near Midway, Indiana, showing two large funnels moments before impacting the Midway Trailer Park; April 12, 1965.

American soldiers engaged in a firefight while a child takes cover under a jeep for protection in Santo Domingo during the Dominican Civil War; May 5, 1965.

Soviet postage stamp for the 15th anniversary of the first human spacewalk made by Alexei Leonov during the Voskhod 2 space mission on 18 March 1965.

Embassy of China in Indonesia being attacked during a mass-murder that started in 1965 and persisted into 1966, targeting alleged communist sympathizers, atheists and certain ethnic groups, killing 500,000–1,500,000.

Malcolm X being taken away from the Audubon Ballroom on a stretcher after the shooting.

1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1965th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 965th year of the 2nd millennium, the 65th year of the 20th century, and the 6th year of the 1960s decade.

Events

January–February

January 14 – The First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years.
January 20
- Lyndon B. Johnson is sworn in for a full term as President of the United States.
- Indonesian President Sukarno announces the withdrawal of the Indonesian government from the United Nations.
January 29 – Hakametsä, the first ice rink of Finland, is inaugurated in Tampere.
January 30 – The state funeral of Sir Winston Churchill takes place in London with the largest assembly of dignitaries in the world until the 2005 funeral of Pope John Paul II.
February 4 – Trofim Lysenko is removed from his post as director of the Institute of Genetics at the Academy of Sciences in the Soviet Union. Lysenkoist theories are now treated as pseudoscience.
February 12 – The African and Malagasy Common Organization (Organization Commune Africaine et Malgache; OCAM) is formed as successor to the Afro-Malagasy Union for Economic Cooperation (Union Africaine et Malgache de Cooperation Economique; UAMCE), formerly the African and Malagasy Union (Union Africaine et Malgache; UAM).

February 15 – The maple leaf is adopted as the flag of Canada, replacing the Canadian Red Ensign flag.
February 18 – The Gambia becomes independent from the United Kingdom.
February 20
- Ranger 8 crashes into the Moon, after a successful mission of photographing possible landing sites for the Apollo program astronauts.
- Suat Hayri Ürgüplü forms the new (interim) government of Turkey (29th government).
February 21 – Malcolm X is gunned down while giving a speech at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem.

March–April

March 2 – Vietnam War: Operation Rolling Thunder – The United States Air Force 2nd Air Division, United States Navy and South Vietnamese air force begin a 31⁄2-year aerial bombardment campaign against North Vietnam.
March 7
- Mass in the Catholic Church worldwide is said in local languages (rather than Latin) for the first time.
- "Bloody Sunday": Some 200 Alabama State Troopers attack 525 civil rights demonstrators in Selma, Alabama, as they attempt to march to the state capitol of Montgomery.
March 8 – Vietnam War: Some 3,500 United States Marines arrive in Da Nang, South Vietnam, becoming the first American ground combat troops in Vietnam.
March 9 – The "Turnaround Tuesday" march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, under the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr., stops at the site of "Bloody Sunday", to hold a prayer service and return to Selma, in obedience to a court restraining order. On the same day, White supremacists attack three white ministers, leaving Unitarian Universalist minister James J. Reeb in a coma.
March 10 – An engagement is announced between Princess Margriet of the Netherlands and Pieter van Vollenhoven, who will become the first commoner and the first Dutchman to marry into the Dutch royal family.
March 18 – Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov leaves his Voskhod 2 spacecraft for 12 minutes, becoming the first person to walk in space.
March 20
- "Poupée de cire, poupée de son", sung by France Gall (music and lyrics by Serge Gainsbourg), wins the Eurovision Song Contest 1965 (staged in Naples) for Luxembourg.
- The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 begins.
March 23
- Events of March 23, 1965: Large student demonstration in Morocco, joined by discontented masses, meets with violent police and military repression.
- Gemini 3: NASA launches the United States' first 2-person crew (Gus Grissom, John Young) into Earth orbit.
- The first issue of The Vigilant is published from Khartoum.
March 25 – Martin Luther King Jr. and 25,000 civil rights activists successfully end the 4-day march from Selma, Alabama, to the capitol in Montgomery.
March 28 – At least 400 are killed or missing after an earthquake triggered a series of dam failures in La Ligua, Chile.
March 30 – The second ODECA charter, signed by Central American states on December 12, 1962, becomes effective.
April 3 – The world's first space nuclear power reactor, SNAP-10A, is launched by the United States from Vandenberg AFB, California. The reactor operates for 43 days and remains in low Earth orbit.
April 5 – At the 37th Academy Awards, My Fair Lady wins 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Rex Harrison wins an Oscar for Best Actor. Mary Poppins takes home 5 Oscars. Julie Andrews wins an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the title role. Sherman Brothers receives 2 Oscars including Best Song, "Chim Chim Cher-ee".
April 6 – The Intelsat I ("Early Bird") communications satellite is launched. It becomes operational May 2 and is placed in commercial service in June.
April 9 – The West German parliament extends the statute of limitations on Nazi war crimes.
April 12 – A historic and extremely destructive tornado outbreak struck the Midwest region of the United States, killing 266.
April 18 – Consecration of Saint Clement of Ohrid Macedonian Orthodox Cathedral in Toronto, Canada.
April 23 – The Pennine Way officially opens.
April 24
- The 1965 Yerevan demonstrations start in Yerevan, demanding recognition of the Armenian genocide.
- The bodies of Portuguese opposition politician Humberto Delgado and his secretary Arajaryr Moreira de Campos are found in a forest near Villanueva del Fresno, Spain (they were killed February 12).
- In the Dominican Republic, officers and civilians loyal to deposed President Juan Bosch mutiny against the right-wing junta running the country, setting up a provisional government. Forces loyal to the deposed military-imposed government stage a countercoup the next day, and civil war breaks out, although the new government retains its hold on power.
April 26 – Rede Globo is founded in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
April 28
- U.S. troops occupy the Dominican Republic.
- Vietnam War: Prime Minister of Australia Robert Menzies announces that the country will substantially increase its number of troops in South Vietnam, supposedly at the request of the Saigon government (it is later revealed that Menzies had asked the leadership in Saigon to send the request at the behest of the Americans).
April 29 – Australia announces that it is sending an infantry battalion to support the South Vietnam government.

May–June

May 1
- Bob Askin replaces Jack Renshaw as Premier of New South Wales.
- The Battle of Dong-Yin occurs as a conflict between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China.
May 9 – Pianist Vladimir Horowitz returns to the stage after a 12-year absence, performing a legendary concert in Carnegie Hall in New York.
May 12 –West Germany and Israel establish diplomatic relations.
May 25 – Muhammad Ali knocks out Sonny Liston in the first round of their championship rematch with the "Phantom Punch" at the Central Maine Civic Center in Lewiston.
May 27 – Internazionale beats Benfica 1–0 at the San Siro, Milan and wins the 1964-65 European Cup in Association football.
May 29 – A mining accident in Dhanbad, India, kills 274.
May 31 – Scottish racing driver Jim Clark wins the Indianapolis 500, later this year winning the Formula One world driving championship.
June 1 – A coal mine explosion in Fukuoka, Japan, kills 237.
June 2 – Vietnam War: The first contingent of Australian combat troops arrives in South Vietnam.
June 7 – Kakanj mine disaster: A mining accident in Kakanj, Bosnia and Herzegovina, results in 128 deaths.
June 10 – Vietnam War – Battle of Dong Xoai: About 1,500 Viet Cong mount a mortar attack on Đồng Xoài, overrunning its military headquarters and the adjoining militia compound.
June 19
- Houari Boumediene's Revolutionary Council ousts Ahmed Ben Bella, in a bloodless coup in Algeria.
- Air Marshal Nguyen Cao Ky, head of the South Vietnamese Air Force, was appointed prime minister at the head of the military junta, with General Nguyễn Văn Thiệu becoming a figurehead president, ending two years of short-lived military juntas.^{[non sequitur]}
June 20 – Police in Algiers break up demonstrations by people who have taken to the streets chanting slogans in support of deposed President Ahmed Ben Bella.
June 22 – The Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea is signed in Tokyo.
June 25 – A U.S. Air Force Boeing C-135 Stratolifter bound for Okinawa crashes just after takeoff at MCAS El Toro in Orange County, California, killing all 85 on board.

July–August

July – The Commonwealth secretariat is created.
July 14 – U.S. spacecraft Mariner 4 flies by Mars, becoming the first spacecraft to return images from the Red Planet.
July 15 – Greek Prime minister Georgios Papandreou and his government are dismissed by King Constantine II.
July 16 – The Mont Blanc Tunnel, a highway tunnel between France and Italy, is inaugurated by presidents Giuseppe Saragat and Charles de Gaulle.
July 24 – Vietnam War: Four F-4C Phantoms escorting a bombing raid at Kang Chi are targeted by antiaircraft missiles, in the first such attack against American planes in the war. One is shot down and the other 3 sustain damage.
July 26 – The Maldives obtains full independence from Great Britain.
July 27 – Edward Heath becomes Leader of the British Conservative Party.
July 28 – Vietnam War: U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson announces his order to increase the number of United States troops in South Vietnam from 75,000 to 125,000, and to more than double the number of men drafted per month - from 17,000 to 35,000.
July 30 – War on Poverty: U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Social Security Act of 1965 into law, establishing Medicare and Medicaid.
August 7 – Tunku Abdul Rahman, Prime Minister of Malaysia, recommends the expulsion of Singapore from the Federation of Malaysia following a deterioration of PAP–UMNO relations, negotiating its separation with Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister of Singapore.
August 9
- Proclamation of Singapore: Singapore is expelled from the Federation of Malaysia, which recognises it as a sovereign nation. Lee Kuan Yew announces Singapore's independence and assumes the position of Prime Minister of the new island nation – a position he holds until 1990.
- An explosion at an Arkansas missile plant kills 53.
- Indonesian president Sukarno collapses in public.
August 11 – Racial rioting in the Los Angeles, California neighborhood of Watts breaks out after an African American motorist, Marquette Frye, is stopped on suspicion of drunken driving. Six days of unrest are quelled by over 14,000 members of the California National Guard. There are 34 deaths and over $40 million in property damage. It is the largest and costliest urban rebellion of the Civil Rights movement.
August 18 – Vietnam War: Operation Starlite – 5,500 United States Marines destroy a Viet Cong stronghold on the Van Tuong peninsula in Quảng Ngãi Province, in the first major American ground battle of the war. The Marines were tipped off by a Viet Cong deserter who said that there was an attack planned against the U.S. base at Chu Lai.
August 19 – At the conclusion of the Frankfurt Auschwitz trials, 66 ex-SS personnel receive life sentences, 15 others shorter ones.
August 21 – NASA launches Gemini 5 (Gordon Cooper, Pete Conrad) on the first 1-week space flight, as well as the first test of fuel cells for electrical power on such a mission.
August 30 – An avalanche buries a dam construction site at Saas-Fee, Switzerland, killing 90 workers.
August 31 – U.S. President Johnson signs a law penalizing the burning of draft cards with up to 5 years in prison and a $1,000 fine.

September–October

September 2
- Pakistani troops enter the Indian sector of Kashmir, while Indian troops counter at Lahore.
- The People's Republic of China announces that it will reinforce its troops on the Indian border.
- Vietnam War: In a follow-up to August's Operation Starlite, United States Marines and South Vietnamese forces initiate Operation Piranha on the Batangan Peninsula, 23 miles (37 km) south of the Chu Lai Marine base.
September 8
- India opens 2 additional fronts against Pakistan.
- The Pakistan Navy destroys Indian Port of Dwarka. Operation Dwarka (Pakistan celebrates Victory Day annually).
September 9
- U.N. Secretary General U Thant negotiates with Pakistan President Ayub Khan.
- U Thant recommends China for United Nations membership.
September 14 – The fourth and final period of the Second Vatican Council opens.
September 16 – In Iraq, Prime Minister Arif Abd ar-Razzaq's attempted coup fails.
September 17 – King Constantine II of Greece forms a new government with Prime Minister Stephanos Stephanopoulos, in an attempt to end a 2-year-old political crisis.
September 18
- In Denmark, Palle Sørensen shoots 4 policemen in pursuit; he is apprehended the same day.
- Comet Ikeya–Seki is first sighted by Japanese astronomers.
- Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin invites the leaders of India and Pakistan to meet in the Soviet Union to negotiate.
September 19 – Pakistani Forces achieve a decisive victory at the Battle of Chawinda, ultimately halting the Indian advance and successfully stabilizing the Sialkot Front, it is the world's largest tank battle since the Battle of Kursk in the Second World War between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union
September 20 – Vietnam War: An USAF F-104 Starfighter piloted by Captain Philip Eldon Smith is shot down by a Chinese MiG-19 Farmer. The pilot is held until March 15, 1973.
September 21 – Gambia, Maldives and Singapore are admitted as members of the United Nations.
September 22 – Radio Peking announces that Indian troops have dismantled their equipment on the Chinese side of the border.
September 24
- Fighting resumes between Indian and Pakistani troops.
- The British governor of Aden cancels the constitution and takes direct control of the protectorate, due to the bad security situation.
September 27 – The largest tanker ship at this time, Tokyo Maru, is launched in Yokohama, Japan.
September 28
- Fidel Castro announces that anyone who wants to can emigrate to the United States.
- Taal Volcano in Luzon, Philippines, erupts, killing hundreds.
September 30
- The Indonesian army, led by General Suharto, crushes an alleged communist coup attempt (see Transition to the New Order and 30 September Movement).
- The classic family sci-fi show Thunderbirds debuts on ITV in the United Kingdom.
October 3 – Fidel Castro announces that Che Guevara has resigned and left Cuba.
October 4
- At least 150 are killed when a commuter train derails at the outskirts of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
- Prime minister Ian Smith of Rhodesia and Arthur Bottomley of the Commonwealth of Nations begin negotiations in London.
- Pope Paul VI makes the first papal visit to the United States. He appears for a Mass in Yankee Stadium and makes a speech at the United Nations.
- The University of California, Irvine opens its doors.
October 5 – Pakistan severs diplomatic relations with Malaysia because of their disagreement in the UN.
October 6 – Ian Brady, a 27-year-old stock clerk from Hyde in Cheshire, is arrested for allegedly hacking to death (with a hatchet) 17-year-old apprentice electrician Edward Evans at a house on the Hattersley housing estate.
October 7 – Seven Japanese fishing boats are sunk off Guam by Super Typhoon Carmen; 209 are killed.
October 8
- Indonesian mass killings of 1965–1966: The Indonesian army instigates the arrest and execution of communists which last until next March.
- The 7 Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent are adopted at the XX International Conference in Vienna, Austria.
- The International Olympic Committee admits East Germany as a member.
October 10 – The first group of Cuban refugees travels to the U.S.
October 12
- Per Borten forms a government in Norway.
- The U.N. General Council recommends that the United Kingdom try everything to stop a rebellion in Rhodesia.
October 13 – Congo President Joseph Kasavubu fires Prime Minister Moise Tshombe and forms a provisional government, with Évariste Kimba in a leading position.
October 15 – Vietnam War: The Catholic Worker Movement stages an anti-war protest in Manhattan. One draft card burner is arrested, the first under the new law.
October 17 – The New York World's Fair at Flushing Meadows, closes. Due to financial losses, some of the projected site park improvements fail to materialize.
October 18 – The Indonesian government outlaws the Communist Party of Indonesia.
October 20 – Ludwig Erhard is re-elected Chancellor of West Germany (he had first been elected in 1963).
October 21
- Comet Ikeya–Seki approaches perihelion, passing 450,000 kilometres (280,000 mi) from the sun.
- The Organization of African Unity meets in Accra, Ghana.
October 22
- African countries demand that the United Kingdom use force to prevent Rhodesia from declaring unilateral independence.
- Colonel Christophe Soglo stages a second coup in Dahomey.
October 25 – The Soviet Union declares its support of African countries in case Rhodesia unilaterally declares independence.
October 27
- Brazilian president Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco removes power from parliament, legal courts and opposition parties.
- Süleyman Demirel of AP forms the new government of Turkey (30th government).
October 28 – Pope Paul VI promulgates Nostra aetate, a "Declaration on the Relation of the (Roman Catholic) Church with Non-Christian Religions" by the Second Vatican Council which includes a statement that Jews are not collectively responsible for the death of Jesus (Jewish deicide).
October 29 – An 80-kiloton nuclear device is detonated at Amchitka Island, Alaska, as part of the Vela Uniform program, code-named Project Long Shot.
October 30 – Vietnam War: Near Da Nang, United States Marines repel an intense attack by Viet Cong forces, killing 56 guerrillas. A sketch of Marine positions is found on the dead body of a 13-year-old Vietnamese boy who sold drinks to the Marines the day before.

November–December

November 1 – A trolleybus plunges into the Nile at Cairo, Egypt, killing 74 passengers.
November 3 – French President Charles de Gaulle announces (just short of his 75th birthday) that he will stand for re-election.
November 5 – Martial law is announced in Rhodesia. The United Nations General Assembly accepts British intent to use force against Rhodesia if necessary by a vote of 82–9.
November 6 – Freedom Flights begin: Cuba and the United States formally agree to start an airlift for Cubans who want to go to the United States (by 1971, 250,000 Cubans take advantage of this program).
November 8 – Vietnam War – Operation Hump: The United States Army 173rd Airborne is ambushed by over 1,200 Viet Cong.
November 11
- In Rhodesia (modern-day Zimbabwe), the white-minority government of Ian Smith unilaterally declares de facto independence ('UDI').
- United Airlines Flight 227 crashes short of the runway and catches fire at Salt Lake City International Airport, killing 43 out of 91 passengers and crew.
November 12 – A UN Security Council resolution (voted 10–0) recommends that other countries not recognize independent Rhodesia.
November 13
- The SS Yarmouth Castle burns and sinks 60 miles (97 km) off Nassau, Bahamas, with the loss of 90 lives.
- British theatre critic Kenneth Tynan says "fuck" during a discussion on BBC satirical programme BBC-3 for what many believed was the first time on British television. The corporation later issues a public apology.
November 14 – Vietnam War – Battle of Ia Drang: In the Ia Drang Valley of the Central Highlands in Vietnam, the first major engagement of the war between regular United States and North Vietnamese forces begins.
November 15 – U.S. racer Craig Breedlove sets a new land speed record of 600.601 mph (966.574 km/h).
November 16 – Venera program: The Soviet Union launches the Venera 3 space probe from Baikonur, Kazakhstan toward Venus (on March 1, 1966, it becomes the first spacecraft to reach the surface of another planet).
November 20 – The United Nations Security Council recommends that all states stop trading with Rhodesia.
November 22 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is established as a specialized agency of the United Nations.
November 23 – Soviet general Mikhail Kazakov assumes command of the Warsaw Pact.
November 24 – Congolese lieutenant general Mobutu ousts Joseph Kasavubu and declares himself president.
November 26 – At the Hammaguir launch facility in the Sahara Desert, France launches a Diamant A rocket with its first satellite, Astérix-1 on board, becoming the third country to enter outer space.
November 27
- Tens of thousands of Vietnam War protesters picket the White House, then march on the Washington Monument.
- Vietnam War: The Pentagon tells U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson that if planned major sweep operations to neutralize Viet Cong forces during the next year are to succeed, the number of American troops in Vietnam will have to be increased from 120,000 to 400,000.
November 28 – Vietnam War: In response to U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson's call for "more flags" in Vietnam, Philippines President-elect Ferdinand Marcos announces he will send troops to help fight in South Vietnam.
November 29 – The Canadian satellite Alouette 2 is launched.
December 5
- Charles de Gaulle is re-elected as French president with 10,828,421 votes.
- The "Glasnost Meeting" in Moscow becomes the first spontaneous political demonstration, and the first demonstration for civil rights in the Soviet Union.

December 8
- The Second Vatican Council closes.
- Rhodesian prime minister Ian Smith warns that Rhodesia will resist a trade embargo by neighboring countries with force.
- The Race Relations Act becomes the first legislation to address racial discrimination in the UK.
December 9 – A Charlie Brown Christmas, the first Peanuts television special, debuts on CBS in the United States. It becomes a Christmas tradition.
December 15
- The Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) is formed.
- Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 perform the first controlled rendezvous in Earth orbit.
December 20 – The World Food Programme is made a permanent agency of the United Nations.
December 21
- The Soviet Union announces that it has shipped rockets to North Vietnam.
- In West Germany, Konrad Adenauer resigns as chairman of the Christian Democratic Party.
- The United Nations adopts the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
- A new 1-hour German-American production of the ballet The Nutcracker, with an international cast that includes Edward Villella in the title role, makes its U.S. television debut. It is repeated annually by CBS over the next 3 years but after that is virtually forgotten until issued on DVD in 2009 by Warner Archive.
December 22 – A military coup is launched in Dahomey.
December 25 – The Yemeni Nasserist Unionist People's Organisation is founded in Ta'izz.

December 30
- Ferdinand Marcos becomes President of the Philippines.
- President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia announces that Zambia and the United Kingdom have agreed on a deadline before which the Rhodesian white government should be ousted.
December 31 – Bokassa takes power in the Central African Republic.

Date unknown

Aborigines are given the vote in Queensland, Australia.
Hainzl Industriesysteme GmbH company is founded in Austria.
Tokyo officially becomes the largest city of the world, taking the lead from New York City.

World population

Births

January

January 4
- Julia Ormond, British actress
- Yvan Attal, Israeli-born French actor and director
January 5
- Vinnie Jones, British footballer-turned-actor
- Patrik Sjöberg, Swedish high jumper
January 9
- Haddaway, German singer
- Farah Khan, Indian choreographer, film director
- Joely Richardson, British actress
January 10 – Butch Hartman, American animator and voice actor
January 12
- Nikolai Borschevsky, Russian ice hockey player
- Maybrit Illner, German television journalist and presenter
- Rob Zombie, American musician
January 14
- Shamil Basayev, Chechen terrorist (d. 2006)
- Marc Delissen, Dutch field hockey player
- Bob Essensa, Canadian ice hockey player
January 15
- Adam Jones, American musician, guitarist of metal band Tool
- James Nesbitt, Northern Irish actor
January 20 – Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, wife of Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh
January 21 – Jam Master Jay, American DJ, rapper and producer (d. 2002)
January 22
- DJ Jazzy Jeff, American disc jockey
- Diane Lane, American actress
January 23 – Catherine Guillouard, French businesswoman
January 24 – Porfirio Fisac, Spanish basketball coach
January 25 – Esa Tikkanen, Finnish ice hockey player
January 26 – Natalia Yurchenko, Soviet artistic gymnast
January 27
- Alan Cumming, Scottish actor
- Ignacio Noé, Argentine artist
January 29
- Dominik Hašek, Czech hockey player
- Jo Min-su, South Korean actress

February

February 1
- Dave Callaghan, South African cricketer
- Brandon Lee, Chinese-American actor (d. 1993)
- Sherilyn Fenn, American actress
- Princess Stéphanie of Monaco
February 3 – Maura Tierney, American actress
February 5 – Gheorghe Hagi, Romanian footballer, manager and club owner
February 7 – Chris Rock, African-American actor, comedian, and film director
February 8 – Dicky Cheung, Hong Kong actor
February 11 – Roberto Moya, Cuban athlete (d. 2020)
February 12 – Brett Kavanaugh, American attorney and Supreme Court Justice
February 15 – Héctor Beltrán Leyva, Mexican drug lord (d. 2018)
February 16 – Adama Barrow, Gambian politician, 3rd President of Gambia
February 17 – Michael Bay, American film director
February 18 – Dr. Dre, African-American rapper and music producer
February 23
- Kristin Davis, American actress
- Michael Dell, American computer manufacturer
- Vincent Chalvon-Demersay, French producer
- Helena Suková, Czech tennis player
February 25 – Sylvie Guillem, French ballerina
February 27 – Claudia Zobel, Filipina actress (d. 1984)
February 28 – Park Gok-ji, South Korean film editor

March

March 1
- Mike Dean, Record producer
- Stewart Elliott, Canadian jockey
- Jack Tu, Taiwanese-Canadian cardiologist (d. 2018)
March 2 – Ami Bera, American politician
March 3
- Tedros Adhanom, Director of the World Health Organization
March 4
- Greg Alexander, Australian rugby league player
- Paul W. S. Anderson, British filmmaker, producer and screenwriter
March 5 – Harry Bevers, Dutch politician
March 8
- Mac Jack, South African educator and politician (d. 2020)
- Caio Júnior, Brazilian football forward and manager (d. 2016)
March 9 – Antonio Saca, 43rd President of El Salvador
March 11
- Catherine Fulop, Venezuelan actress, model, beauty pageant contestant, and television presenter
- Jesse Jackson Jr., African-American politician
- Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, British designer and television presenter
March 14 – Aamir Khan, Indian film director, producer, film and scriptwriter and actor
March 16
- Utut Adianto, Indonesian chess grandmaster and politician
- Mark Carney, Canadian economist and politician, 24th Prime Minister of Canada
March 23 – Marti Pellow, Scottish singer (Wet Wet Wet)
March 24
- Rob MacCachren, American racecar driver
- The Undertaker, American professional wrestler
March 25
- Stefka Kostadinova, Bulgarian high jumper and president of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee
- Sarah Jessica Parker, American actress
March 26 – Prakash Raj, Indian actor, producer and director
March 29 – Voula Patoulidou, Greek athlete
March 30 – Piers Morgan, British journalist and television personality

April

April 1
- Brian Marshall, Canadian retired track and field athlete
- Bekir Bozdağ, Turkish theologian, lawyer, and politician
April 3 – Nazia Hassan, Pakistani pop singer-songwriter, lawyer and social activist (d. 2000)
April 4 – Robert Downey Jr., American actor, producer, and singer
April 6
- Black Francis, American musician
- Rica Reinisch, German swimmer
April 9 – Paulina Porizkova, Swedish-American model and actress
April 10
- Anna-Leena Härkönen, Finnish author
- Jure Robič, Slovenian cyclist (d. 2010)
April 11 – Eelco van Asperen, Dutch computer scientist
April 12 – Kim Bodnia, Danish actor and director
April 15 – Linda Perry, American musician
April 16 – Martin Lawrence, American actor, comedian, and producer
April 18 – Camille Coduri, English actress
April 19 – Suge Knight, American record producer and convicted felon
April 20 – Jovy Marcelo, Filipino racing driver (d. 1992)
April 21 – Julio Robaina, Republican politician, Mayor of Hialeah, Florida
April 23 – Leni Robredo, 14th Vice President of the Philippines
April 24 – Michel Leclerc, French director and screenwriter
April 25 – Édouard Ferrand, French politician (d. 2018)
April 26 – Kevin James, American comedian and actor
April 27 – Edwin Poots, Irish politician
April 29 – David Shafer, American politician, Georgia
April 30 – Adrian Pasdar, Iranian-American actor and voice artist

May

May 2 – Myriam Hernández, Chilean singer
May 3
- Gary Mitchell, Irish playwright
- Rob Brydon, Welsh actor, comedian, impressionist and presenter
May 7
- Owen Hart, Canadian professional wrestler (d. 1999)
- Norman Whiteside, Northern Irish football player
May 9 – Steve Yzerman, Canadian hockey player
May 10 – Linda Evangelista, Canadian supermodel
May 11 – Monsour del Rosario, Filipino Olympic athlete and actor
May 12 – Renée Simonsen, Danish model and writer
May 13 – José Antonio Delgado, Venezuelan mountain climber (d. 2006)
May 14 – Eoin Colfer, Irish novelist
May 16
- Rodica Dunca, Romanian artistic gymnast
- Krist Novoselic, American musician and activist (Nirvana)
May 17 – Trent Reznor, American rock musician (Nine Inch Nails)
May 19 – Philippe Dhondt, French singer
May 23
- Melissa McBride, American actress (The Walking Dead)
May 24
- Carlos Franco, Paraguayan golfer
- John C. Reilly, American actor and comedian
- Shinichirō Watanabe, Japanese anime director
May 25 – Yahya Jammeh, President of the Gambia
May 29 – Emilio Sánchez, Spanish tennis player
May 30 – Guadalupe Grande, Spanish poet (d. 2021)
May 31 – Brooke Shields, American actress and model

June

June 1
- Larisa Lazutina, Russian cross-country skier
- Nigel Short, English chess player
June 2 – Steve and Mark Waugh, Australian cricketers
June 4
- Mick Doohan, Australian motorcycle racer
- Andrea Jaeger, American tennis player
June 6
- Cam Neely, Canadian ice hockey player
- Megumi Ogata, Japanese voice actress and singer
June 7
- Mick Foley, American professional wrestler
- Damien Hirst, British artist
- Christine Roque, French singer
June 8
- Frank Grillo, American actor
- Rob Pilatus, German model, dancer and singer (d. 1998)
June 10
- Veronica Ferres, German actress
- Elizabeth Hurley, English model and actress
June 11 – Manuel Uribe, morbidly obese Mexican (d. 2014)
June 12 – Carlos Luis Morales, Ecuadorian journalist (d. 2020)
June 13 – Infanta Cristina of Spain, Spanish princess
June 15 – Bernard Hopkins, American boxer
June 16 – Andrea M. Ghez, American astronomer, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics
June 17
- Dana Eskelson, American actress
- Dan Jansen, American speedskater
- Dara O'Kearney, Irish ultra runner and professional poker player
June 18
- Kim Dickens, American actress
- Hani Mohsin, Malaysian celebrity, actor and host (d. 2006)
June 21
- Yang Liwei, Chinese major general, military pilot and China National Space Administration astronaut
- Gabriella Selmeczi, Hungarian jurist and politician
- Tim Lajcik, Czech American mixed martial artist, stuntman, actor and writer
June 22 – Anubhav Sinha, Indian film director
June 23 – Paul Arthurs, English Musician (Oasis)
June 24 – Son Hyun-joo, South Korean actor
June 25 – Jean Castex, French politician
June 26 – Jana Hybášková, Czech politician and diplomat
June 27
- Frédéric Lemoine, French businessman
- S. Manikavasagam, Malaysian politician
June 28 – Belayneh Dinsamo, Ethiopian long-distance runner
June 29
- Véronique Laury, French businesswoman
- Dado Villa-Lobos, Brazilian musician
- Matthew Weiner, American television writer, director and producer
June 30
- Philippe Duquesne, French actor
- Cho Jae-hyun, South Korean actor
- Mitch Richmond, American basketball player

July

July 1
- Teddy McCarthy, hurler and Gaelic footballer
- Carl Fogarty, English motorcycle racer
- Mohammed Abdul Hussein, Iraqi former footballer
- Ramdas Ambatkar, Indian politician, Maharashtra MLC (d. 2025)
July 2 – Fredrik Sejersted, Norwegian jurist
July 3
- Komsan Pohkong, Thai lawyer
- Shinya Hashimoto, Japanese professional wrestler (d. 2005)
- Connie Nielsen, Danish actress
- Tommy Flanagan, Scottish actor
July 4 – Tracy Letts, American actor, playwright and screenwriter
July 5
- Kathryn Erbe, American actress
- Eyran Katsenelenbogen, Israeli jazz pianist
July 7
- Paula Devicq, Canadian actress
- Jeremy Kyle, English radio and television presenter
July 10
- Danny Boffin, Belgian footballer
- Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark
- Alec Mapa, American comedian
July 11 – Ernesto Hoost, Dutch kickboxer
July 12 – Mama Kandeh, Gambian politician
July 13 – Akina Nakamori, Japanese singer and actress
July 14 – Lou Savarese, American boxer
July 15 – Dafna Rechter, Israeli actress and singer
July 17
- Santiago Segura, Spanish actor, screenwriter, producer and director
- Rosa Gumataotao Rios, 43rd Treasurer of the United States
- Alex Winter, British actor
July 18 – Eva Ionesco, French actress, film director and screenwriter
July 19
- Dame Evelyn Glennie, Scottish virtuoso percussionist
- Hailemariam Desalegn, 15th Prime Minister of Ethiopia
July 21 – Guðni Bergsson, Icelandic footballer
July 22 – Shawn Michaels, American professional wrestler
July 23
- Grace Mugabe, First Lady of Zimbabwe
- Slash (Saul Hudson), English-born American rock guitarist
July 25 – Illeana Douglas, American actress and producer
July 26
- Vladimir Cruz, Cuban actor
- Jeremy Piven, American actor
- Jimmy Dore, American comedian and political commentator
July 27
- José Luis Chilavert, Paraguayan footballer
- Trifon Ivanov, Bulgarian footballer (d. 2016)
July 28 – Daniela Mercury, Brazilian singer, songwriter, dancer, producer, actress and television host
July 29 – Chang-Rae Lee, Korean-American novelist
July 31 – J. K. Rowling, English author

August

August 1 – Sam Mendes, English film director
August 2
- Sandra Ng, Hong Kong actress
- Hisanobu Watanabe, Japanese baseball player and coach
August 4
- Terri Lyne Carrington, American jazz drummer
- Dennis Lehane, American crime writer
- Fredrik Reinfeldt, Swedish Prime Minister
August 5 – Monica Ward, Italian actress and voice actress
August 6 – David Robinson, American basketball player
August 10
- Claudia Christian, American actress, writer, singer, musician, and director
- Mike E. Smith, American jockey
- John Starks, American basketball player
August 11 – Viola Davis, African-American actress
August 15 – Vincent Kok, Hong Kong director and actor
August 16 – Michael O'Gorman, American coxswain (d. 2018)
August 19
- Kevin Dillon, American actor
- Maria de Medeiros, Portuguese actress
- Kyra Sedgwick, American actress
- James Tomkins, Australian rower
August 22 – David Reimer, Canadian man, born male but reassigned female and raised as a girl after a botched circumcision (d. 2004)
August 24 – Reggie Miller, American basketball player and commentator
August 25 – Mia Zapata, American singer (d. 1993)
August 26 – Azela Robinson, Mexican actress
August 28
- Satoshi Tajiri, Japanese video game designer and Pokémon creator
- Amanda Tapping, Canadian actress
- Shania Twain, Canadian country singer and songwriter
August 31 – Daniel Bernhardt, Swiss actor and martial artist

September

September 1 – Craig McLachlan, Australian actor and singer
September 2 – Lennox Lewis, British boxer
September 3
- Costas Mandylor, Greek-Australian actor
- Charlie Sheen, American actor and producer
September 5 – Derby Makinka, Zambian footballer (d. 1993)
September 6 – Gleisi Hoffmann, Brazilian lawyer and politician
September 7 – Jörg Pilawa, German television presenter
September 8
- Tutilo Burger, German Benedictine monk and abbot
- Darlene Zschech, Australian singer and worship leader
September 10 – Marco Pastors, Dutch politician
September 11
- Bashar al-Assad, President of Syria
- Moby, American musician
September 12
- Einstein Kristiansen, Norwegian cartoonist, designer, and television host
September 14 – Dmitry Medvedev, former President of Russia
September 15 – Fernanda Torres, Brazilian actress
September 16 – Katy Kurtzman, American actress, director and producer
September 17
- Kyle Chandler, American actor
- Yuji Naka, Japanese video game programmer
September 19
- Goldie, English record producer and DJ
- Iliya Lazarov, Bulgarian politician
- Tim Scott, African-American politician and businessman
- Tshering Tobgay, former Prime Minister of Bhutan
September 20 – Robert Rusler, American actor
September 21
- Cheryl Hines, American actress
- Johanna Vuoksenmaa, Finnish film director
- David Wenham, Australian actor
- Pramila Jayapal, American politician
September 23 – Mark Woodforde, Australian tennis player
September 25 – Scottie Pippen, American basketball player
September 26
- Radisav Ćurčić, Serbian-Israeli basketball player
- Alexei Mordashov, Russian businessman
- Petro Poroshenko, former President of Ukraine
September 27 – Steve Kerr, American basketball player

October

October 1 – Andreas Keller, German field hockey player
October 2
- Gerardo Reyero, Mexican voice actor
- Ferhan and Ferzan Önder, Turkish-Austrian pianists
October 3
- Adriana Calcanhotto, Brazilian singer and composer
- Jan-Ove Waldner, Swedish table tennis player
October 5
- Mario Lemieux, Canadian ice hockey player
- Patrick Roy, Canadian ice hockey player
October 6 – Steve Scalise, House Majority Whip and U.S. Representative of Louisiana's 1st district
October 8
- Matt Biondi, American swimmer
- C. J. Ramone, American musician
October 9 – Dionicio Cerón, Mexican long-distance runner
October 10 – Chris Penn, American actor (d. 2006)
October 11
- Julianne McNamara, American artistic gymnast
- Lennie James, English actor, screenwriter, and playwright
October 13 – Kalpana, Indian film actress (d. 2016)
October 14
- Steve Coogan, British comedian and actor
- Jüri Jaanson, Estonian rower and politician
October 16 – Kang Kyung-ok, South Korean artist
October 17
- Aravinda de Silva, Sri Lankan cricketer
- Rhys Muldoon, Australian actor, writer, and director
October 18 – Zakir Naik, Indian doctor and Islamic activist
October 19
- The Renegade, American professional wrestler (d. 1999)
- Ty Pennington, American television presenter
- Tracy Griffith, American actress, sushi chef, and painter
October 20
- Amos Mansdorf, Israeli tennis player
- Stefano Pioli, Italian football player and manager
October 22 – Sumito Estévez, Venezuelan chef
October 26
- Aaron Kwok, Hong Kong singer and actor
- Kelly Rowan, Canadian actress
- Kenneth Rutherford, New Zealand cricketer
October 29 – Christy Clark, Canadian politician
October 30 – Zaza Urushadze, Georgian film director, producer and screenwriter (d. 2019)
October 31 – Rob Rackstraw, British actor

November

November 1
- Patrik Ringborg, Swedish conductor
November 2
- Paweł Adamowicz, Polish politician and lawyer (d. 2019)
- Shah Rukh Khan, Indian actor, film/television producer and television presenter
November 4 – Wayne Static, American singer and musician (Static-X) (d. 2014)
November 7 – Sigrun Wodars, German athlete
November 8 – Patricia Poleo, Venezuelan journalist
November 9 – Sir Bryn Terfel, Welsh baritone
November 10 – Eddie Irvine, Northern Irish racing driver
November 11 – Max Mutchnick, American television producer
November 13 – Rick Roberts, Canadian actor
November 17 – Pam Bondi, American attorney and politician, 87th U.S. Attorney General
November 19
- Paulo Barreto, Brazilian cryptographer
- Laurent Blanc, French football player and manager
November 20 – Yoshiki Hayashi, Japanese rock composer, pianist and drummer
November 21
- Björk, Icelandic singer-songwriter and musician
- Reggie Lewis, American basketball player (d. 1993)
- Alexander Siddig, Sudanese-British actor
November 22 – Mads Mikkelsen, Danish actor
November 23 – Radion Gataullin, Uzbek-Russian pole-vaulter
November 24 – Shirley Henderson, Scottish actress
November 25 – Ana Paula Padrão, Brazilian journalist, chief editor, entrepreneur, writer and television presenter
November 26 – Scott Adsit, American actor
November 29
- Lauren Child, American author
- Raffaella Reggi, Italian tennis player
November 30
- Ben Stiller, American actor, comedian and filmmaker
- Tashi Tenzing, Indian mountaineer