40.6979° N, 73.9995° W

NEW YORK CITY

Most Famous People Born in New York City, USA

Notable people
22,064
Peak decade
1940s
Median birth year
1935
Most distinctive
Screenwriter 5.4×

If the 20th century held a casting call, it was in New York. Almost all of the city's notable births fall after 1900, fueled by an entertainment economy — Broadway, Tin Pan Alley, the studio system, late-night TV, hip-hop in the Bronx — that has minted more actors, comedians, and musicians than any other American city. Even its 19th-century names skew literary: poets, editors, journalists, not generals or industrialists.

Standouts

What New York City Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Actor is New York City's biggest profession — 14% of all notables (3,012).

New York City over-indexes on screenwriter 5.4× the global rate.

New York City under-produces football — only 0.1× the global rate.

  1. Actor 3,012 2.6×
  2. Politician 1,004 0.4×
  3. Writer 859 1.2×
  4. Film 841 3.1×
  5. Lawyer 794 2.1×
  6. Music 767 2.4×
  7. Baseball 584 2.3×
  8. Singer 573 1.3×
  1. Screenwriter 522 5.4×
  2. Producer 225 3.6×
  3. Novelist 299 3.4×
  4. Film 841 3.1×
  5. Photographer 287 2.7×
  6. Actor 3,012 2.6×
  7. Music 767 2.4×
  8. Baseball 584 2.3×
  1. Football 365 0.1×
  2. Politician 1,004 0.4×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of New York City's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

1800 1850 1900 1950 2000
  • Film & TV
  • Writing
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Science
  • Other
All22,064
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22,064 notable people

1801 HISTORIAN

Elizabeth Eisenstein

1923 - 2016

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1802 BANK

Steven Mnuchin

Born 1962

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1803 SINGER

Justin Nozuka

Born 1988

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1804 ACTOR

Allyce Beasley

Born 1954

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1805 SCREENWRITER

John Hamburg

Born 1970

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1806 FILM

Will Gluck

-

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1807 MUSIC

Cappadonna

Born 1969

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1808 ACTIVIST

Jack Herer

1939 - 2010

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1809 RAPPER

Desiigner

Born 1997

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1810 ARTIST

Joe Grant

1908 - 2005

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1811 FILM

Doug E. Doug

Born 1970

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1812 PROFESSOR

Richard A. Falk

Born 1930

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1813 FILM

Barrie M. Osborne

Born 1944

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1814 FILM

Eytan Fox

Born 1964

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1815 FILM

Daniel Mann

1912 - 1991

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1816 ECONOMIST

David Landes

1924 - 2013

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1817 POLITICIAN

Virginia Foxx

Born 1943

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1818 STAGE

Chung Ling Soo

1861 - 1918

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1819 MUSIC

Jeru the Damaja

Born 1972

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1820 ACTOR

William Gargan

1905 - 1979

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1821 COMPOSER

Steve Jordan (drummer)

Born 1957

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1822 ACTOR

Adam Storke

Born 1962

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1823 PUPPETEER

Brian Henson

Born 1963

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1824 ENTREPRENEUR

Steve Blank

Born 1953

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1825 ACTOR

Maximiliano Hernández

Born 1973

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1826 ACTOR

Viola Dana

1897 - 1987

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1827 ACTOR

J. E. Freeman

1946 - 2014

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1828 ACTOR

Season Hubley

Born 1951

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1829 ACTOR

Malachi Throne

1928 - 2013

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1830 RAPPER

Fatman Scoop

Born 1979

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1831 WRITER

David Opatoshu

1918 - 1996

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1832 EXECUTIVE

Gil Amelio

Born 1943

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1833 FILM

Fred de Cordova

1910 - 2001

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1834 SINGER

Robin Beck

Born 1954

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1835 MATHEMATICIAN

Marshall Harvey Stone

1903 - 1989

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1836 FILM

Mel Stuart

1928 - 2012

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1837 ACTOR

Gia Mantegna

Born 1990

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1838 COMPOSER

Steve Lacy (saxophonist)

1934 - 2004

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1839 GUITAR

J. Geils

1946 - 2017

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1840 COMPOSER

Michael Gore

Born 1951

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1841 ACTIVIST

Mario Savio

1942 - 1996

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1842 IMMUNOLOGIST

Anthony S. Fauci

Born 1940

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1843 ACTOR

Conrad Janis

Born 1928

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1844 RAPPER

Afu-Ra

Born 1973

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1845 WRITER

Laura Schlessinger

Born 1947

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1846 ACTOR

Colin Quinn

Born 1959

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1847 SINGER

Brenda Russell

Born 1949

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1848 SCREENWRITER

Richard Maibaum

1909 - 1991

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1849 WRITER

Gary David Goldberg

1944 - 2013

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1850 POLITICIAN

Nicholas F. Brady

Born 1930

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1851 ACTOR

Genevieve Tobin

1899 - 1995

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1852 ACTOR

Ed Bishop

1932 - 2005

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1853 ACTOR

Paul Picerni

1922 - 2011

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1854 ACTOR

Vincent Laresca

Born 1974

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1855 POLO

James Gordon Bennett Jr.

1841 - 1918

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1856 ACTOR

Wilson Cruz

Born 1973

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1857 WRITER

Elizabeth Wurtzel

1967 - 2020

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1858 ACTOR

William Beaudine

1892 - 1970

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1859 PHYSICIST

Evelyn Fox Keller

Born 1936

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1860 COMPOSER

Norman Dello Joio

1913 - 2008

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1861 SCREENWRITER

Michael Piller

1948 - 2005

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1862 ACTOR

John Dehner

1915 - 1992

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1863 ARTIST

Tony Oursler

Born 1957

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1864 MUSIC

Richard Fariña

1937 - 1966

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1865 WRITER

Betty Smith

1896 - 1972

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1866 PIANIST

Paul Creston

1906 - 1985

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1867 ACTOR

John Gatins

Born 1968

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1868 ACTOR

Hurd Hatfield

1917 - 1998

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1869 ACTOR

Geraldine Brooks (actress)

1925 - 1977

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1870 MUSIC

Tatiana Troyanos

1938 - 1993

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1871 ACTOR

Fátima Ptacek

Born 2000

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1872 PHILOSOPHER

David Berlinski

Born 1942

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1873 BASKET

Bernard King

Born 1956

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1874 PHOTOGRAPHER

Milton H. Greene

1922 - 1985

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1875 PHOTOGRAPHER

Dennis Stock

1928 - 2010

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1876 BASEBALL

Edgar Martínez

Born 1963

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1877 JEWELLER

Harry Winston

1896 - 1978

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1878 MATHEMATICIAN

Martin Davis

Born 1928

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1879 ARTIST

George Brecht

1926 - 2008

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1880 ACTOR

Ava Devine

Born 1974

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1881 PIANIST

Kenny Kirkland

1955 - 1998

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1882 RAPPER

6ix9ine

Born 1996

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1883 ACTOR

Evan Seinfeld

Born 1967

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1884 WRITER

Robert Stone (novelist)

1937 - 2015

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1885 ACTOR

Melinda Page Hamilton

Born 1974

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1886 FILM

Gina Prince-Bythewood

Born 1969

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1887 BOXER

Maxie Rosenbloom

1907 - 1976

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1888 ARTIST

Dik Browne

1917 - 1989

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1889 COMPOSER

Dick Hyman

Born 1927

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1890 SCREENWRITER

Loren Bouchard

Born 1969

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1891 MUSIC

Elvis Perkins

Born 1976

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1892 SCREENWRITER

Gertrude Berg

1899 - 1966

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1893 SINGER

Corey Glover

Born 1964

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1894 SCREENWRITER

John Emery (actor)

1905 - 1964

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1895 FILM

Abraham Polonsky

1910 - 1999

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1896 MUSIC

Peter Cincotti

Born 1983

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1897 MATHEMATICIAN

Jesse Douglas

1897 - 1965

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1898 ACTOR

Timothy Carey

1929 - 1994

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1899 ASTRONOMER

Cleveland Abbe

1838 - 1916

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1900 PLAYWRIGHT

Fred Melamed

Born 1956

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1901 PAINTER

Elihu Vedder

1836 - 1923

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1902 PHYSICIST

Charles Kittel

1916 - 2019

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1903 AUTHOR

Clare Boothe Luce

1903 - 1987

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1904 ACTOR

Anthony Denison

Born 1949

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1905 FILM

Michael Cuesta

Born 1963

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1906 PSYCHOLOGIST

Nancy Chodorow

Born 1944

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1907 SOCIOLOGIST

Anselm Strauss

1916 - 1996

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1908 JOURNALIST

Jann Wenner

Born 1946

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1909 ACTOR

Will Lee

1908 - 1982

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1910 ACTOR

Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick

Born 1998

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1911 FILM

Craig Mazin

Born 1971

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1912 RAPPER

Havoc (musician)

Born 1974

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1913 COLLECTOR

Isabella Stewart Gardner

1840 - 1924

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1914 ACTOR

Alex Wolff

Born 1997

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1915 ACTOR

Kenneth McMillan (actor)

1932 - 1989

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1916 WRITER

Jay Anson

1921 - 1980

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1917 POLITICIAN

James L. Buckley

Born 1923

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1918 ACTOR

Damon Dash

Born 1971

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1919 THERAPIST

Alexander Lowen

1910 - 2008

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1920 COMPOSER

Deems Taylor

1885 - 1966

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1921 CHOREOGRAPHER

Joan Jonas

Born 1936

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1922 PHOTOGRAPHER

Timothy H. O'Sullivan

1840 - 1882

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1923 MUSIC

Al Pitrelli

Born 1962

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1924 ACTOR

Kathryn Hunter

Born 1957

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1925 ACTOR

Robert LaSardo

Born 1963

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1926 ARCHITECT

John Hejduk

1929 - 2000

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1927 COMPOSER

Walter Murphy

Born 1952

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1928 PRIEST

Terence Cooke

1921 - 1983

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1929 JOURNALIST

Paul Klebnikov

1963 - 2004

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1930 AUTHOR

Robert Caro

Born 1935

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1931 MUSIC

Jan Peerce

1904 - 1984

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1932 ACTOR

Roger C. Carmel

1932 - 1986

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1933 PHYSICIST

Samuel T. Cohen

1921 - 2010

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1934 PSYCHOLOGIST

Irene Pepperberg

Born 1949

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1935 PHOTOGRAPHER

Julius Shulman

1910 - 2009

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1936 MATHEMATICIAN

Michael Spivak

Born 1940

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1937 ACTOR

Pamela Bellwood

Born 1951

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1938 ACTOR

Herb Edelman

1933 - 1996

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1939 JOURNALIST

Malcolm Browne

1931 - 2012

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1940 POET

Joy Davidman

1915 - 1960

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1941 CINEMA

Owen Roizman

Born 1936

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1942 ACTOR

Walter Hampden

1879 - 1955

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1943 WRITER

Dwight Macdonald

1906 - 1982

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1944 ACTOR

Nina Arianda

Born 1984

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1945 WRITER

James McBride (writer)

Born 1957

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1946 ACTOR

Sidney Fox

1911 - 1942

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1947 SCREENWRITER

Patrick Breen

Born 1960

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1948 FILM

David L. Wolper

1928 - 2010

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1949 ACTOR

Deon Richmond

Born 1978

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1950 ACTOR

Kim Wayans

Born 1961

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1951 MUSIC

Lenny White

Born 1949

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1952 SWIMMER

Eleanor Holm

1913 - 2004

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1953 SCREENWRITER

Richard Appel

Born 1963

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1954 SAXOPHONIST

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis

1922 - 1986

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1955 GUITAR

Chris Poland

Born 1957

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1956 POLITICIAN

Andy Harris (politician)

Born 1957

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1957 NOVELIST

Lawrence Sanders

1920 - 1998

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1958 POET

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

Born 1939

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1959 CHEMIST

Ira Remsen

1846 - 1927

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1960 ACTOR

Richard Ney

1916 - 2004

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1961 ACTOR

Donna Pescow

Born 1954

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1962 ACTOR

Carmen Zapata

1927 - 2014

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1963 ACTOR

Adele Jergens

1917 - 2002

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1964 ACTOR

Kay Medford

1919 - 1980

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1965 ECONOMIST

Robert S. Kaplan

Born 1940

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1966 COMPOSER

Charles Strouse

Born 1928

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1967 JOURNALIST

Matt Lauer

Born 1957

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1968 ACTOR

Christopher Cousins

Born 1960

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1969 FILM

Duane Martin

Born 1965

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1970 ACTOR

Bob Hastings

1925 - 2014

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1971 SCREENWRITER

Buddy DeSylva

1895 - 1950

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1972 ACTOR

Rose Hobart

1906 - 2000

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1973 ACTOR

Zach McGowan

Born 1981

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1974 ACTOR

Melissa Ponzio

Born 1972

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1975 COMPOSER

Sammy Fain

1902 - 1989

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1976 PHOTOGRAPHER

Billy Name

1940 - 2016

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1977 ACTOR

Jules Munshin

1915 - 1970

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1978 ACTOR

Drena De Niro

Born 1967

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1979 CONDUCTOR

Charles Wuorinen

1938 - 2020

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1980 ACTOR

Charles Cioffi

Born 1935

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1981 BIOCHEMIST

Bruce Ames

Born 1928

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1982 NEUROLOGIST

Brian Weiss

Born 1944

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1983 LINGUIST

Eugene Garfield

1925 - 2017

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1984 ACTOR

Herschel Savage

Born 1952

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1985 WRITER

Andrew Sarris

1928 - 2012

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1986 BANK

Jamie Dimon

Born 1956

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1987 ACTOR

Noah Schnapp

Born 2004

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1988 SINGER

Jeff Barry

Born 1938

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1989 SAXOPHONIST

Dave Liebman

Born 1946

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1990 POLITICIAN

Stephen Van Rensselaer

1764 - 1839

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1991 WRITER

Pema Chödrön

Born 1936

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1992 CONDUCTOR

Alfred Reed

1921 - 2005

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1993 PUBLISHER

Bennett Cerf

1898 - 1971

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1994 ACTOR

Sean Stone

Born 1984

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1995 PHYSICIST

Gordon Gould

1920 - 2005

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1996 ACTOR

Kim Fields

Born 1969

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1997 CHEMIST

Allen J. Bard

Born 1933

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1998 ACTOR

William Finley (actor)

1940 - 2012

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1999 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Clinton Hart Merriam

1855 - 1942

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2000 ACTOR

Florence La Badie

1888 - 1917

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2001 ACTOR

John Cygan

1954 - 2017

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2002 PHOTOGRAPHER

Arthur Rothstein

1915 - 1985

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2003 SINGER

Gregory Abbott

Born 1954

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2004 BOXER

Carmen Basilio

1927 - 2012

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2005 FILM

Joseph Cedar

Born 1968

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2006 ACTOR

Spencer Treat Clark

Born 1987

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2007 FILM

Richard Rush (director)

Born 1929

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2008 NOVELIST

Mark Helprin

Born 1947

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2009 PSYCHOLOGIST

Robert Plutchik

1927 - 2006

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2010 ACTOR

Dan Frazer

1921 - 2011

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2011 PLAYWRIGHT

Michael Goldenberg

Born 1965

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2012 MATHEMATICIAN

Persi Diaconis

Born 1945

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2013 MUSIC

Julia Migenes

Born 1949

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2014 FILM

Bart Freundlich

Born 1970

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2015 BASEBALL

Willie Keeler

1872 - 1923

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2016 ARTIST

Larry Lieber

Born 1931

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2017 SCREENWRITER

Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal

Born 1946

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2018 SINGER

P. F. Sloan

1945 - 2015

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2019 ACTOR

Vic Tayback

1930 - 1990

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2020 JEWELLERY DESIGNER

May Pang

Born 1950

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2021 MATHEMATICIAN

David Gale

1921 - 2008

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2022 SCREENWRITER

Susannah Grant

Born 1963

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2023 JOURNALIST

Jake Tapper

Born 1969

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2024 ACTOR

Samuel S. Hinds

1875 - 1948

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2025 ACTOR

Victor Argo

1934 - 2004

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2026 WRITER

Harry Mathews

1930 - 2017

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2027 PRODUCER

Malcolm Goodwin

Born 1982

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2028 ACTOR

Koo Stark

Born 1956

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2029 ACTOR

Jay Robinson

1930 - 2013

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2030 FILM

Archie Mayo

1891 - 1968

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2031 ENTREPRENEUR

Mark Hurd

1957 - 2019

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2032 POLITICIAN

Yvette Clarke

Born 1964

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2033 BANDLEADER

Waddy Wachtel

Born 1947

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2034 BIOLOGIST

Hamilton O. Smith

Born 1931

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2035 ACTOR

Nick Cravat

1912 - 1994

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2036 EDUCATION

Robert Maynard Hutchins

1899 - 1977

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2037 ACTOR

Jack Scalia

Born 1950

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2038 ACTOR

Stanley Adams (actor)

1915 - 1977

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2039 ACTOR

Terry Carter

Born 1928

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2040 DRUMMER

Clem Burke

Born 1955

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2041 ARTIST

Eric Stanton

1926 - 1999

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2042 LAWYER

John Slidell

1793 - 1871

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2043 PHYSICIAN

Detlev Bronk

1897 - 1975

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2044 POLITICIAN

Ernest Gruening

1887 - 1974

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2045 ACTOR

Anne Lockhart (actress)

Born 1953

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2046 PHOTOGRAPHER

Taryn Simon

Born 1975

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2047 POET

Howard Nemerov

1920 - 1991

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2048 FILM

Jesse Dylan

Born 1966

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2049 ACTOR

Jennifer Elise Cox

Born 1969

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2050 FILM

Arnold Kopelson

1935 - 2018

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2051 COMPOSER

Red Mitchell

1927 - 1992

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2052 FILM

Robert Chartoff

1933 - 2015

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2053 SKATER

Maia Shibutani

Born 1994

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2054 MUSIC

Cuba Gooding Sr.

1944 - 2017

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2055 MATHEMATICIAN

Morris Kline

1908 - 1992

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2056 MOBSTER

Vincent Gigante

1928 - 2005

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2057 MUSIC

Bob Berg

1951 - 2002

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2058 FILM

Douglas McGrath

Born 1958

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2059 FOOTBALL

Kristine Lilly

Born 1971

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2060 ACTOR

Ryan Simpkins

Born 1998

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2061 PLAYER

Stu Ungar

1953 - 1998

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2062 MUSIC

Ryan Star

Born 1978

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2063 ACTOR

Gianni Russo

Born 1943

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2064 BASKET

Nate Archibald

Born 1948

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2065 HISTORIAN

Gertrude Himmelfarb

1922 - 2019

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2066 SCREENWRITER

William Hjortsberg

1941 - 2017

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2067 SINGER

Peggy Seeger

Born 1935

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2068 ACTOR

David Brian

1914 - 1993

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2069 TELEVISION

Don Hewitt

1922 - 2009

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2070 MUSIC

Regina Resnik

1922 - 2013

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2071 SINGER

Eamon (singer)

Born 1984

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2072 BASKET

Charlie Scott

Born 1948

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2073 ACTOR

Michael Conrad

1925 - 1983

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2074 COSTUME DESIGNER

Irene Sharaff

1910 - 1993

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2075 ACTOR

Robin Curtis

Born 1956

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2076 FILM

Shirley Clarke

1919 - 1997

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2077 ACTOR

Brian Markinson

Born 1961

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2078 FASHION MODEL

Edith Bouvier Beale

1917 - 2002

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2079 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

Ben Shneiderman

Born 1947

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2080 FILM

Don Calfa

1939 - 2016

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2081 JOURNALIST

Lucien Carr

1925 - 2005

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2082 MATHEMATICIAN

Joseph Kruskal

1928 - 2010

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2083 FILM

Eugène Green

Born 1947

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2084 HISTORIAN

Naomi Oreskes

Born 1958

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2085 FILM

Brian Taylor (filmmaker)

Born 1970

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2086 PHOTOGRAPHER

Peter Beard

1938 - 2020

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2087 JOURNALIST

Jonah Goldberg

Born 1969

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2088 GASTROENTEROLOGIST

Burrill Bernard Crohn

1884 - 1983

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2089 ACTOR

Jeremy Allen White

Born 1991

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2090 ACTOR

Ajita Wilson

1950 - 1987

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2091 COMPOSER

Alice Playten

1947 - 2011

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2092 HISTORIAN

Eric Foner

Born 1943

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2093 POLICE

Frank Serpico

Born 1936

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2094 PIANIST

Duke Jordan

1922 - 2006

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2095 SCULPTOR

Hannah Wilke

1940 - 1993

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2096 CONDUCTOR

Erich Kunzel

1935 - 2009

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2097 ACTOR

Ramon Estevez

Born 1963

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2098 COMEDIAN

Hank Mann

1887 - 1971

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2099 ACTOR

Elsie de Wolfe

1865 - 1950

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2100 PAINTER

Jasper Francis Cropsey

1823 - 1900

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