On this day

July 31, 1947

Revisit the news, notable people, and historical moments connected to this date.

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Notable Births

Herman's Hermits

1947Karl Green, English bass player and songwriter[†]

Herman's Hermits are an English pop rock group formed in 1963 in Manchester and formerly fronted by singer Peter Noone. Known for their jaunty beat sound and Noone's often tongue-in-cheek vocal style, the Hermits charted with numerous transatlantic hits in the UK and in America, where they ranked as one of the most successful acts in the Beatles-led British Invasion. Between March and August 1965 in the United States, the group logged twenty-four consecutive weeks in the Top Ten of Billboard's Hot 100 with five singles, including the two number ones "Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter" and "I'm Henry VIII, I Am".

Richard Griffiths

1947Richard Griffiths, English actor (died 2013)[†]

Richard Thomas Griffiths was an English actor. He was known for his portrayals of Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter films (2001–2011), Uncle Monty in Withnail and I (1987), and Henry Crabbe in Pie in the Sky (1994–1997). Over his career he received numerous accolades including a Tony Award and Olivier Award as well as a nomination for a BAFTA Award. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2008.

Mumtaz (Indian actress)

1947Mumtaz, Indian actress[†]

Mumtaz Askari Madhvani, known mononymously as Mumtaz is an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films. Mumtaz is the recipient of a Filmfare Award. Mumtaz made her acting debut at age 11 with Lajwanti (1958), Sone Ki Chidiya (1958), and did smaller roles in films like Stree (1961) and Sehra (1963).

Hubert Védrine

1947Hubert VĂ©drine, French politician, French Minister of Foreign Affairs[†]

Hubert Yves Pierre VĂ©drine is a French retired senior civil servant and politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1997 to 2002. A member of the Socialist Party (PS), he was an advisor and later secretary general at the ÉlysĂ©e under President François Mitterrand. Following his retirement from politics, VĂ©drine became an advisor at Moelis & Company.

Ian Beck

1947Ian Beck, English children's illustrator and author[†]

Ian Archibald Beck is an English children's illustrator and author. In addition to his numerous children's books, he is also known for his cover illustration on Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album. More than a million copies of his books have been sold worldwide. Beck was Master of the Art Workers' Guild in 1999.