Born on the Fourth of July

Nathaniel Hawthorne (born Nathaniel Hathorne - 1804-1864) 1880s. American novelist and short story writer.

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804): D.H. Lawrence once noted that “there could be no more perfect work of the American imagination than The Scarlet Letter.” Perhaps that’s because the novel’s author, shares a birthday with the United States itself—he was born in Massachusetts, 28 years after the nation’s founding.Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Stephen Foster (1826): Long considered the father of American music, composed such classic songs as “Oh! Susanna,” and “My Old Kentucky Home.” Hulton Archive—Getty Images

Calvin Coolidge may be the only American president born on the Fourth of July, but three presidents have died on Independence Day. James Monroe passed away on July 4, 1831, and five years earlier, in 1826, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on America’s birthday.

Calvin Coolidge (1872): Coolidge may be the only American president born on the Fourth of July, but three presidents have died on Independence Day. James Monroe passed away on July 4, 1831, and five years earlier, in 1826, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on America’s birthday.Gamma-Keystone/Getty Images

Rube Goldberg (1883): A Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, Goldberg was best known for his drawings of complex devices that performed very simple tasks. The annual Rube Goldberg Machine Contest, in which college students build gadgets in the style of Goldberg, is named in his honor.Nina Leen—Time and Life Pictures/Getty Image

Eppie Lederer and Pauline Phillips (1918): The twin sisters gave advice to millions of Americans for nearly fifty years. Lederer took over the “Ask Ann Landers” column in 1955 and a her sister began a rival column, “Dear Abby.” Declan Haun—Time and Life Pictures/Getty Images

Eva Maria Saint (1924): Marie Saint won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in On the Waterfront. She also famously climbed across the face of Mount Rushmore with Cary Grant in North By Northwest.Nina Leen—Time and Life Pictures/Getty Image

Neil Simon (1927): “Simon takes his work seriously,” President Clinton said when naming the playwright a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1995. Simon wrote Lost in Yonkers, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1991. In 2006, he was awarded another serious honor—the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.John Downing—Getty Images

Al Davis (1929): Among the most controversial and charismatic owners in NFL history, Al Davis modeled the Oakland Raiders in his own outlaw image and pushed the team with his all-American mantra, “Just win, baby.” Susan Ragan—AP

New York Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner is bundled up ag

George Steinbrenner (1930): In the 37 years he owned the New York Yankees the team won seven world championships. Before he purchased the Yankees, Steinbrenner also owned the American Shipbuilding Company.John Roca—NY Daily News/Getty Images

Born in Slab Fork, West Virginia, Bill Withers recorded such hits as “Lean on Me,” “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Just the Two of Us.” Now 75, Withers has not recorded a new album or performed in public since 1985.

Bill Withers (1938): Born in Slab Fork, West Virginia, Withers recorded such hits as “Lean on Me,” “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Just the Two of Us.” Now 75, Withers has not recorded a new album or performed in public since 1985.NBC/Getty Images

So You Think You Can Roast? - Dennis Rodman

Geraldo Rivera (1943): Among the most acclaimed and controversial television personalities, Rivera appears regularly on Fox News Channel. Stephen Lovekin—Getty Images

Ron Kovic (1946): joined the Marine Corps after graduating high school in 1964 and served several tours in Vietnam. After becoming paralyzed from the chest down, Kovic returned home and became a vocal anti-war activist. His 1976 memoir, Born on the Fourth of July, was made into an Oscar-winning movie by Oliver Stone starring Tom Cruise. Jason Redmond—AP

Mike Sorrentino (1982): He became famous as “The Situation” on MTV’s Jersey Shore, but Sorrentino was actually born in Staten Island. Having those tanned abs has paid off for “The Situation”—big time. In 2010, he earned a reported $5 million, making him the second highest-paid reality TV star after Kim Kardashian.Steve Granitz—WireImage

President Obama And Family Attend Nat'l Christmas Tree Lighting

Malia Obama (1998): Born in Chicago, Malia Obama has a perfectly patriotic birthday for a First Daughter. Shortly after his inauguration in 2009, Barack Obama published a public letter to both daughters in which he cited the lessons of 1776. Olivier Douliery—Getty Images

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