Famous People Born in 1896

Celebrities born in 1896 include John Dos Passos, Howard Hawks, George Burns. Here are 5 of the best-known stars born that year, plus a look at life in 1896.

Lost GenerationGeneration

—First-class stamp

None yetFederal minimum wage

—$1 in 1896 worth in 2025

Year of the MonkeyChinese zodiac (after Lunar New Year)

📜 Explore the year you were born

Celebrities born in 1896

John Dos Passos
Journalist · Born Jan 14, 1896
Died 1970
Howard Hawks
Actor · Director · Born May 30, 1896
Died 1977
George Burns
Actor · Singer · Born Jan 20, 1896
Died 1996
Ruth Gordon
Actor · Born Oct 30, 1896
Died 1985
Ira Gershwin
Musician · Born Dec 6, 1896
Died 1983

More years

← 1895 1897 →All years

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