37.7775° N, 122.4165° W

SAN FRANCISCO

Most Famous People Born in San Francisco, United States

Notable people
2,619
Peak decade
1960s
Median birth year
1943
Most distinctive
Baseball 6.1×

A city of restless reinventions. San Francisco's notables are heavily literary and athletic in the 19th century, then heavily technological and countercultural in the 20th — the same town gave the world Jack London and Steve Jobs, Ansel Adams and Bruce Lee, the Beats and the venture capitalists. The dataset doesn't show the tech industry as a category, but you can see its silhouette in the unusually high share of entrepreneurs, engineers, and screenwriters with day jobs in software.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous figure born in San Francisco during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1960s with 295 notable births.

What San Francisco Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Actor is San Francisco's biggest profession — 15% of all notables (385).

San Francisco over-indexes on baseball6.1× the global rate.

San Francisco under-produces politician — only 0.4× the global rate.

  1. Actor385
  2. Baseball182
  3. Football144
  4. Politician136
  5. Film110
  6. Writer77
  7. Music74
  8. Singer74
  1. Baseball1826.1×
  2. Screenwriter433.8×
  3. Film1103.4×
  4. Actor3852.8×
  5. Photographer322.5×
  6. Basket732.2×
  7. Music742.0×
  8. Artist511.9×
  1. Politician1360.4×
  2. Football1440.5×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

18001850190019502000
  • Sports
  • Film & TV
  • Music
  • Politics & Law
  • Writing
  • Art & Design
  • Other
All2,619
Sort By

Showing 278 of 2,619 notable people

0003 FILM

Bruce Lee

1940 - 1973

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0009 RUNNING

O. J. Simpson

Born 1947

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0011 ACTOR

Danny Glover

Born 1946

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0022 GUITAR

Jerry Garcia

1942 - 1995

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0024 ACTOR

David Strathairn

Born 1949

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0025 ACTOR

Jeffrey Tambor

Born 1944

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0043 MUSIC

Paul Kantner

1941 - 2016

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0058 ACTOR

J. T. Walsh

1943 - 1998

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0087 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

Jim Gray (computer scientist)

1944 - 2007

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0090 PRODUCER

Andraé Crouch

1942 - 2015

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0092 SINGER

Bob Weir

Born 1947

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0094 ACTOR

Susan Tyrrell

1945 - 2012

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0119 ACTOR

Joe Spano

Born 1946

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0124 MUSIC

Ronnie Montrose

1947 - 2012

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0142 COMPOSER

Michael Shrieve

Born 1949

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0149 ACTOR

David Dukes

1945 - 2000

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0150 ACTOR

Richard Gant

Born 1944

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0154 ENTREPRENEUR

Barry Diller

Born 1942

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0156 AUTHOR

Greil Marcus

Born 1945

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0161 POET

Sharon Olds

Born 1942

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0172 ACTOR

Victoria Vetri

Born 1944

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0173 ACTOR

Vonetta McGee

1945 - 2010

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0174 GOLF

Johnny Miller

Born 1947

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0192 MUSIC

Bobby Freeman

1940 - 2017

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0206 POLITICIAN

Dennis Ross

Born 1948

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0207 PHYSICIST

Richard A. Muller

Born 1944

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0216 ACTOR

Kathleen Chalfant

Born 1945

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0220 POLITICIAN

Sam Farr

Born 1941

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0237 POET

Robert Hass

Born 1941

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0246 ACTOR

Daria Halprin

Born 1948

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0247 PLAYER

Rosemary Casals

Born 1948

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0268 SINGER

Joe Louis Walker

Born 1949

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0275 FILM

Peter Del Monte

Born 1943

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0278 ACTOR

Charles Haid

Born 1943

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0279 WRITER

David Cay Johnston

Born 1948

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0282 MUSIC

Gabrielle Roth

1941 - 2012

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0285 WRITER

Jeanne DuPrau

Born 1944

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0291 WRITER

Steve Martini

Born 1946

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0300 TEACHER

Ron Jones (teacher)

Born 1941

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0319 FOOTBALL

Mike Holmgren

Born 1948

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0326 MONARCH

Hope Cooke

Born 1940

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0345 BASSIST

Ross Valory

Born 1949

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0357 PSYCHOLOGIST

Christina Maslach

Born 1946

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0364 WRITER

Irene Mecchi

Born 1949

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0391 WRITER

Laurence Yep

Born 1948

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0401 ECONOMIST

Orley Ashenfelter

Born 1942

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0403 PSYCHOLOGIST

Linda Gottfredson

Born 1947

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0410 PERCUSSIONIST

Michael Carabello

Born 1947

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0412 DRUMMER

Denny Carmassi

Born 1947

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0416 HISTORIAN

Kevin Starr

1940 - 2017

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0431 DISCUS THROWER

John Powell (athlete)

Born 1947

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0433 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Joseph Tainter

Born 1949

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0455 ACTOR

Lucy Saroyan

1946 - 2003

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0459 SWIMMER

Chris von Saltza

Born 1944

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0463 LAWYER

Brooksley Born

Born 1940

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0475 BASKET

Keith Erickson

Born 1944

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0476 SKIER

Jimmie Heuga

1943 - 2010

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0477 COMPOSER

Kate Wolf

1942 - 1986

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0481 FILM

Donna Deitch

Born 1945

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0490 ACTOR

Joseph Whipp

Born 1941

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0498 MUSIC

Linda Tillery

Born 1948

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0504 PIANIST

Darius Brubeck

Born 1947

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0509 POET

Lyn Hejinian

Born 1941

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0513 SOCIALITE

Abigail Folger

1943 - 1969

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0519 ORNITHOLOGIST

Robert Ricklefs

Born 1943

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0522 ECONOMIST

Rick Levin

Born 1947

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0551 GRANDMASTER

Duncan Suttles

Born 1945

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0552 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Robert Boyd (anthropologist)

Born 1948

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0561 PHOTOGRAPHER

David Levinthal

Born 1949

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0565 PSYCHOLOGIST

Melissa Farley

Born 1942

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0566 HISTORIAN

David G. Dalin

Born 1949

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0571 MUSIC

Greg Errico

Born 1948

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0627 PAINTER

Mary Heilmann

Born 1940

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0638 ENGINEER

Allan Alcorn

Born 1948

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0653 BASEBALL

Jim Fregosi

1942 - 2014

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0654 DANCER

Linda Dangcil

1941 - 2009

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0675 MATHEMATICIAN

Peter Montgomery (mathematician)

1947 - 2020

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0692 MUSIC

Billy Mundi

1942 - 2014

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0696 BASKET

Willie Wise

Born 1947

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0697 COACH

George Seifert

Born 1940

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0699 FOOTBALL

Al Cowlings

Born 1947

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0712 ACTOR

Mike Minor (actor)

1940 - 2016

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0713 BASKET

Bob Netolicky

Born 1942

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0717 ARTIST

Larry Harvey

1948 - 2018

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0742 ACTOR

Laurie Walters

Born 1947

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0752 PHOTOGRAPHER

David Alan Harvey

Born 1944

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0762 SWIMMER

Carolyn Schuler

Born 1943

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0764 JOURNALIST

Greg Shaw

1949 - 2004

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0767 WRITER

Michael Blumlein

1948 - 2019

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0770 SONGWRITER

Chip Douglas

Born 1942

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0779 PHOTOGRAPHER

Thomas Joshua Cooper

Born 1946

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0792 ACTOR

Don Fernando

Born 1948

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0818 WRITER

Ruthanne Lum McCunn

Born 1946

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0820 PHYSICIST

Stephen Benton

1941 - 2003

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0826 ARTIST

Allan Graham

Born 1943

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0841 ENGINEER

Mark Berger (sound engineer)

Born 1943

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0848 PRIEST

Richard John Garcia

1947 - 2018

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0852 FOOTBALL

Gary Beban

Born 1946

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0868 WRITER

Linda Carroll

Born 1944

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0887 SCREENWRITER

Denny Martin Flinn

1947 - 2007

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0892 DRUMMER

Jerry Granelli

Born 1940

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0895 FILM

John Broderick (producer)

1942 - 2001

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0901 POET

Chrystos

Born 1946

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0907 KILLER

Leonard Lake

1945 - 1985

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0933 MUSIC

Ned Lagin

Born 1949

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0937 POLITICIAN

Kathleen Brown

Born 1945

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0946 HISTORIAN

Roger Chickering

Born 1942

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0948 PHOTOGRAPHER

Jules T. Allen

Born 1947

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0983 BASEBALL

Dick Tidrow

Born 1947

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1013 PLAYER

Cecilia Martinez

Born 1947

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1021 AUDIO

Richard Beggs

Born 1942

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1026 SCREENWRITER

Steve Bulen

Born 1949

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1035 BASKET

Bob Portman

Born 1947

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1036 KILLED

Patrick Argüello

1943 - 1970

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1042 PROFESSOR

Peter Lyman

1940 - 2007

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1061 MATHEMATICIAN

George B. Purdy

1944 - 2017

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1066 BASEBALL

Al Gallagher

1945 - 2018

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1070 POLITICIAN

Terry Miller (politician)

1942 - 1989

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1071 TEACHER

Richard Rodriguez

Born 1944

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1086 AUTHOR

John A. Buehrens

Born 1947

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1097 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

Robert Hecht-Nielsen

1947 - 2019

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1102 EDITOR

Catherine Yronwode

Born 1947

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1105 ECONOMIST

Charles P. Oman

Born 1948

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1124 ACTOR

Stanley Fafara

1949 - 2003

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1127 ACTOR

Jay Hammer

Born 1944

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1144 BASEBALL

Danny Frisella

1946 - 1977

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1148 BASEBALL

John Boccabella

Born 1941

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1154 AUTHOR

William G. Sinkford

Born 1946

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1158 JOURNALIST

Judith Hooper

Born 1949

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1178 PRODUCER

Val Garay

Born 1942

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1195 FILM

Jon Martin

Born 1947

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1209 INVENTOR

William Yeager

Born 1940

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1212 PHOTOGRAPHER

Michael Yamashita

Born 1949

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1228 WRITER

Robert D. San Souci

1946 - 2014

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1234 PHYSICIST

Malcolm Beasley

Born 1940

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1248 FOOTBALL

Ted Tollner

Born 1940

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1259 FILM

Ernie Fosselius

Born 1945

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1265 PRIEST

Robert Francis Christian

1948 - 2019

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1283 POLITICIAN

Williamson Evers

Born 1948

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1284 PHOTOGRAPHER

Doug Hall (artist)

Born 1944

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1293 SINGER

Leon Patillo

Born 1947

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1295 MUSIC

Joyce Cooling

Born 1949

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1300 ACTOR

Johnny Weissmuller Jr.

1940 - 2006

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1302 ACTOR

Indira Stefanianna

Born 1946

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1316 DRUMMER

Joel Larson

Born 1947

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1336 PROFESSOR

Judy Yung

Born 1946

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1347 LAWYER

Jeremy Fogel

Born 1949

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1371 ARTIST

Mildred Howard

Born 1945

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1373 BASEBALL

Joe Ferguson (baseball)

Born 1946

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1377 WRITER

Gus Lee

Born 1946

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1400 SCIENTIST

Edward Imwinkelried

Born 1945

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1402 ACTOR

Tiger Fafara

Born 1945

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1404 ARTIST

Andrea Way

Born 1949

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1428 ACTOR

Carla Borelli

Born 1942

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1442 PAINTER

James Hayward (artist)

Born 1943

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1451 POLITICIAN

Norman Yee

Born 1949

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1453 SCHOLAR

Karen L. Gould

1948 - 2012

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1463 BASKET

Dan Fitzgerald

1942 - 2010

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1482 SINGER

Tucker Zimmerman

Born 1941

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1488 LAWYER

Jane A. Restani

Born 1948

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1499 PAINTER

James Dietz

Born 1946

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1504 SWIMMER

Edward Stickles

Born 1942

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1508 ACTOR

Karen Ludwig

Born 1942

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1512 BASEBALL

Frank Bertaina

1944 - 2010

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1538 PAINTER

Helen Berggruen

Born 1945

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1543 BASEBALL

Don Hahn (baseball)

Born 1948

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1547 PRODUCTION DESIGNER

Jim Poynter

Born 1943

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1556 SON

Carrillo Gantner

Born 1944

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1580 BASKET

Gene Williams (basketball)

Born 1947

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1605 POLITICIAN

Toni Harp

Born 1947

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1613 SINGER

Sal Valentino

Born 1942

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1636 ACTOR

Karen Jensen

Born 1944

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1641 BASKET

Tim Grgurich

Born 1942

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1642 SKATER

Laurie Hickox

1945 - 1961

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1643 MATHEMATICIAN

Nancy K. Stanton

Born 1948

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1650 MISSING

Samarpan

Born 1941

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1658 STATISTICIAN

Dudley L. Poston Jr.

Born 1940

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1660 INVENTOR

Eddie Paul

Born 1948

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1683 POLITICIAN

Jerry Hill (politician)

Born 1947

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1690 POLITICIAN

Tom Torlakson

Born 1949

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1705 ACTOR

Pamela Dunlap

Born 1941

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1717 SPORT

David Chauner

Born 1948

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1723 PLAYER

Bill Hoogs Jr.

1940 - 1978

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1731 CONSPIRACY

Matthew Steen

Born 1949

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1735 PAINTER

Lenore Chinn

Born 1949

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1739 COMPOSER

Richard Lerman

Born 1944

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1742 ACTOR

Glen Chin

1948 - 2018

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1754 DANCER

Satan's Angel

1944 - 2019

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1774 RACEWALKER

Tom Dooley (racewalker)

Born 1945

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1801 SPORT

Barry Tompkins

Born 1940

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1805 POLITICIAN

Patrick Johnston (American politician)

Born 1946

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1817 LAWYER

Walter L. Carpeneti

Born 1945

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1819 MILITAR

Raymond C. Smith

Born 1944

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1845 COMPOSER

Robyn Smith

Born 1944

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1847 LAWYER

Charles Breyer

Born 1941

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1870 LAWYER

Maxine M. Chesney

Born 1942

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1871 PHOTOGRAPHER

Wendy Watriss

Born 1943

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1879 SINGER

Pat Kilroy

1944 - 1967

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1901 FOOTBALL

Mike Taylor (offensive tackle)

Born 1945

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1908 BUSINESS

Tom Alberg

Born 1940

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1912 BASEBALL

Al Raffo

Born 1941

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1924 BUSINESS

Noel Lee (executive)

Born 1948

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1927 MUSIC

Rick Estrin

Born 1949

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1928 BASEBALL

Norm Angelini

1947 - 2019

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1939 HISTORIAN

Susan Rita Schrepfer

1941 - 2014

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1941 CINEMA

Robert Primes

Born 1940

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1950 OFFICER

Henry Viccellio Jr.

Born 1940

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1951 LAWYER

Clark Gruening

Born 1943

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1953 FEMINIST

Mavis Leno

Born 1946

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1958 WRITER

Toni Graham

Born 1945

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1963 BUSINESS

Roger Dobkowitz

Born 1945

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1966 THEATRE

Fritz Holt

1941 - 1987

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1969 MISSING

Joe Remiro

Born 1947

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1977 AUTHOR

Mitchell Waite

Born 1946

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1980 MONK

Bhikkhu Cintita

Born 1949

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1982 FOOTBALL

Martin Baccaglio

Born 1944

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1995 FOOTBALL

Norm Thompson (American football)

Born 1945

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1997 BASEBALL

Greg Sims

Born 1946

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2009 GOLF

Bob Lunn

Born 1945

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2015 POLICE

Liam Quinn

Born 1949

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2027 VIOLIN

Rahn Coleman

Born 1949

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2037 SKATER

William Hickox

1942 - 1961

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2038 BASEBALL

Pete Magrini

Born 1942

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2044 POLITICIAN

Max Gruenberg

1943 - 2016

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2064 PAINTER

Royal Nebeker

1945 - 2014

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2068 BASEBALL

Rob Sperring

Born 1949

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2084 BUSINESS

Bob Haas

Born 1942

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2085 POLITICIAN

Roger Niello

Born 1948

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2088 WRITER

Nancy Ling Perry

1947 - 1974

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2089 CHOREOGRAPHER

Danny Grossman

Born 1942

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2107 CONDUCTOR

John Celona

Born 1947

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2121 BASEBALL

Don Bosch

Born 1942

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2122 POLICE

Fred H. Lau

Born 1949

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2124 BASKET

Dick Davey

Born 1942

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2134 PHYSICIST

Frank Sacherer

1940 - 1978

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2136 LAWYER

Michael Cardoza

Born 1944

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2139 MILITAR

Jacques Littlefield

1949 - 2009

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2141 DRUMMER

Eddie Moore

1940 - 1990

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2144 BASEBALL

Rich Morales

Born 1943

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2159 SPORT

Ralph Barbieri

1940 - 2020

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2168 BASEBALL

Ed Montague (umpire)

Born 1948

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2180 MUSIC

Peter Donald

Born 1945

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2192 FOOTBALL

Jack Abendschan

Born 1942

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2195 BUSINESS

Avram Miller

Born 1945

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2198 NAVY

Patrick O. Ford

1942 - 1968

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2210 PHOTOJOURNALIST

Rick Boyle

1942 - 2016

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2230 POET

Merle Woo

Born 1941

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2234 GOLF

Jan Ferraris

Born 1947

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2236 LAWYER

Sandra Froman

Born 1949

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2278 COMPOSER

Brent McCall

1940 - 2019

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2304 ACADEMIC

Stephen Privett

Born 1942

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2306 POLITICIAN

Carolyn Jane Rodriguez

1944 - 2002

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2316 SINGER

Steve Smith (singer)

Born 1945

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2318 FOOTBALL

Ron Stratten

Born 1943

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2335 FOOTBALL

Frank Atkinson (American football)

Born 1941

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2338 ARTIST

George Sumner (artist)

Born 1940

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2352 GUITAR

Dave Frey

1949 - 2015

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2357 BASEBALL

Bob Watkins

Born 1948

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2397 AUDIO

Carl Countryman

1946 - 2006

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2424 PHYSICIST

Philip R. Goode

Born 1943

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2441 PSYCHIATRIST

John Wesson Ashford

Born 1948

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2444 FOOTBALL

Mike Donohoe

Born 1945

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2447 MUSIC

Amory Kane

Born 1946

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2454 BASEBALL

Dick Nold

Born 1943

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2499 COMPOSER

Robert Dickow

Born 1949

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2508 DRIVER

Skeeter McKitterick

Born 1946

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2509 POLITICIAN

Mike Gotch

1947 - 2008

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2510 POLITICIAN

Dion Aroner

Born 1944

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2512 COMMISSIONER

Geoffrey F. Brown

Born 1943

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2525 ACTIVIST

Crystal Jang

Born 1946

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2529 BASEBALL

Mike Buskey

Born 1949

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2543 POLITICIAN

Carlene M. Walker

Born 1947

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2554 POLITICIAN

Kathleen Lynn de Brown

Born 1945

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2555 SPORT

Julián Muñoz (alpine skier)

Born 1946

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2571 BUSINESS

Robert Delbos

Born 1943

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2578 AIR FORCE

John J. Batbie Jr.

Born 1946

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2608 ACTIVIST

Frances Wasserlein

1946 - 2015

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2612 SAXOPHONIST

Bruce Grant (Saxophonist)

1949 - 2009

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