Famous People Born in 1917

Celebrities born in 1917 include Ella Fitzgerald, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Dean Martin. Here are 22 of the best-known stars born that year, plus a look at life in 1917.

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Celebrities born in 1917

• Ella Fitzgerald
  Musician · Singer · Born Apr 25, 1917
  Died 1996
• Zsa Zsa Gabor
  Actor · Born Feb 6, 1917
  Died 2016
• Dean Martin
  Actor · Singer · Born Jun 7, 1917
  Died 1995
• Joan Fontaine
  Actor · Born Oct 22, 1917
  Died 2013
• Ernest Borgnine
  Actor · Born Jan 24, 1917
  Died 2012
• Anthony Burgess
  Musician · Journalist · Born Feb 25, 1917
  Died 1993
• Robert Mitchum
  Actor · Musician · Born Aug 6, 1917
  Died 1997
• Jane Wyman
  Actor · Born Jan 5, 1917
  Died 2007
• Dizzy Gillespie
  Musician · Singer · Born Oct 21, 1917
  Died 1993
• Sidney Sheldon
  Actor · Director · Born Feb 11, 1917
  Died 2007
• Phyllis Diller
  Actor · Comedian · Born Jul 17, 1917
  Died 2012
• Thelonious Monk
  Musician · Born Oct 10, 1917
  Died 1982
• Susan Hayward
  Actor · Model · Born Jun 30, 1917
  Died 1975
• Marsha Hunt
  Actor · Born Oct 17, 1917
  Died 2022
• John Lee Hooker
  Musician · Singer · Born Aug 22, 1917
  Died 2001
• Lena Horne
  Actor · Singer · Born Jun 30, 1917
  Died 2010
• Vera Lynn
  Actor · Singer · Born Mar 20, 1917
  Died 2020
• June Allyson
  Actor · Singer · Born Oct 7, 1917
  Died 2006
• Celeste Holm
  Actor · Singer · Born Apr 29, 1917
  Died 2012
• Buddy Rich
  Singer · Musician · Born Sep 30, 1917
  Died 1987
• Ann Rutherford
  Actor · Born Nov 2, 1917
  Died 2012
• Raymond Burr
  Actor · Born May 21, 1917
  Died 1993

More years

Celebrity data from Wikidata; prices from USPS, US Department of Labor and BLS CPI. Updated November 2026.