1956 in The United States - Births

Births

• January 1 – Mark R. Hughes, entrepreneur (died 2000)
• January 3 – Mel Gibson, actor and filmmaker
• January 7 – David Caruso, actor (NYPD Blue)
• January 9 – Kimberly Beck, actress
• January 10 – Shawn Colvin, singer
• January 20 – Bill Maher, actor, comedian, and political analyst
• January 21 – Geena Davis, actress
• January 27 – Mimi Rogers, actress
• February 3
  • Nathan Lane, actor (The Birdcage)
  • Lee Ranaldo, musician (Sonic Youth)
• February 11 – Catherine Hickland, actress
• February 13 – Paul Stojanovich, television producer
• February 19
  • Kathleen Beller, actress
  • Roderick MacKinnon, biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
• February 24
  • Judith Butler, philosopher
  • Paula Zahn, television journalist (CBS News)
• February 29
  • Aileen Wuornos, serial killer (died 2002)
  • Mike Compton, mandolinis
• March 1 – Tim Daly, actor
• March 5 – Teena Marie, singer (died 2010)
• March 7 – Bryan Cranston, actor
• March 11 – Rob Paulsen, voice actor
• March 13 – Dana Delany, actress
• March 24 – Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft
• March 28 – Susan Ershler, mountaineer
• April 3 – Ray Combs, game show host and comedian (died 1996)
• April 4 – David E. Kelley, writer and television producer
• April 5 – Diamond Dallas Page, professional wrestler
• April 14 – Barbara Bonney, soprano
• April 16 – David McDowell Brown, astronaut (Columbia Disaster) (died 2003)
• April 18
  • John James, actor (Dynasty)
  • Melody Thomas Scott, actress
• April 21 – Phillip Longman, demographer
• May 4 – David Guterson, writer
• May 12 – Greg Phillinganes, keyboardist
• May 15 – Dan Patrick, sports commentator
• May 17
  • Sugar Ray Leonard, boxer
  • Bob Saget, actor and television host
• May 23 – Buck Showalter, baseball player and manager
• May 26 – Lisa Niemi, actress and dancer, widow of Patrick Swayze
• May 28 – Jerry Douglas, dobro player
• May 29 – La Toya Jackson, singer
• June 5 – Kenny G, grammy-award winning saxophonist
• June 9 – Patricia Cornwell, novelist
• June 11 – Joe Montana, football player
• June 15 – Robin Curtis, actress
• June 23 – Randy Jackson, musician and talent judge
• June 25 – Anthony Bourdain, chef, author and television personality
• June 26 – Chris Isaak, musician
• June 30 – Ronald Winans, musician (died 2005)
• July 1 – Alan Ruck, actor
• July 2 – Jerry Hall, model and actress
• July 9 – Tom Hanks, actor and director
• July 11 – Sela Ward, actress
• July 12
  • Mel Harris, actress
  • Sandi Patty, gospel singer
• July 16 – Tony Kushner, playwright
• July 18 – Sheila Aldridge, singer (The Aldridge Sisters)
• July 24
  • Charlie Crist, politician
  • Pat Finn, game show host and producer
• July 30 – Delta Burke, actress
• July 31
  • Michael Biehn, actor
  • Deval Patrick, Governor of Massachusetts
• August 1 – Steve Green, Christian musician
• August 2 – Jim Neidhart, professional wrestler
• August 4 – Gerry Cooney, former boxer
• August 5 – Maureen McCormick, actress (The Brady Bunch)
• August 6 – Stepfanie Kramer, actress (Hunter)
• August 10
  • Fred Ottman, professional wrestler
  • Charlie Peacock, Christian producer, singer-songwriter
• August 14 – Jackée Harry, actress and television personality
• August 18
  • Kelly Willard, Christian singer
  • Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz, drummer
• August 19 – Adam Arkin, actor
• August 20 – Joan Allen, actress
• August 22 – Paul Molitor, baseball player
• August 24 – John Culberson, politician
• August 26 – Mark Mangino, football coach
• August 29 – Mark Morris, choreographer
• September 1 – Bernie Wagenblast, editor and broadcaster
• September 11 – Phillip D. Bissett, politician
• September 12 – Ricky Rudd, race car driver
• September 15 – George Howard, jazz saxophone musician (died 1998)
• September 16 – David Copperfield, illusionist
• September 17 – Brian Andreas, writer, sculptor, painter, and publisher
• September 20
  • Gary Cole, actor
  • Debbie Morgan, actress
• September 21 – Jack Givens, basketball player
• September 24 – Gregory Peter Panos, futurist, writer, inventor, virtual reality expert, human simulation visionary
• September 25 – Jamie Hyneman, television co-host (MythBusters)
• September 26 – Linda Hamilton, actress (The Terminator)
• October 8 – Stephanie Zimbalist, actress (Remington Steele)
• October 17 – Mae Jemison, astronaut
• October 21 – Carrie Fisher, actress (Star Wars)
• October 26 – Rita Wilson, actress and producer
• November 8 – Steven Miller, record producer
• November 17 – Kelly Ward, actor
• November 18 – Warren Moon, football player
• November 20 – Bo Derek, actress and model
• November 26 – Dale Jarrett, race car driver
• November 27 – William Fichtner, actor
• November 29
  • Leo Laporte, author and television host
  • Eric Laakso, football player
• December 6 – Randy Rhoads, guitarist
• December 7 – Larry Bird, basketball player
• December 11 – Lani Brockman, playwright
• December 18 – Ron White, comedian
• December 26 – David Sedaris, essayist
• December 30
  • Patricia Kalember, actress
  • Sheryl Lee Ralph, actress