July 18, 1926

1926Margaret Laurence, Canadian author and academic (died 1987)^[†]

Jean Margaret Laurence was a Canadian novelist and short story writer, and is one of the major figures in Canadian literature. She was also a founder of the Writers' Trust of Canada, a non-profit literary organization that seeks to encourage Canada's writing community.

1926Nita Bieber, American actress (died 2019)^[†]

Nita Gale Bieber was an American actress and dancer.

1926Bernard Pons, French politician and medical doctor (died 2022)^[†]

Bernard Pons was a French politician and medical doctor who was a member of the Union of Democrats for the Republic from 1971 to 1976 and a member of the Rally for the Republic party thereafter. He served as Secretary General of Rally for the Republic, Minister for Transport, and continued as a special advisor to the Union for a Popular Movement until 2008 after his retirement from active politics in 2002.

1926Maunu Kurkvaara, Finnish film director and screenwriter (died 2023)^[†]

Maunu Kurkvaara was a Finnish film director and screenwriter. Kurkvaara has been widely regarded as the initiator of the "new wave" of Finnish cinema in the spirit of French New Wave cinema. He directed 22 films between 1955 and 1993. Many of his films share a nautical theme due to his love of the sea. His film Yksityisalue was entered into the 13th Berlin International Film Festival. In 1965, he co-produced the film 4x4 and it was entered into the 4th Moscow International Film Festival.