* 1961 – Rory Bremner, Scottish comedian

* 1961 – The Russian ( Soviet ) cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to travel into outer space and perform the first manned orbital flight, in Vostok 3KA-2 ( Vostok 1 ).

* 1961 – Enedina Arellano Félix, Mexican drug trafficker

* 1961 – Lisa Gerrard, Australian singer, musician, and composer ( Dead Can Dance )

* 1961 – Charles Mann, American football player

* 1961 – Magda Szubanski, Australian actress

* 1961 – K-19, the first Soviet nuclear submarine equipped with nuclear missiles, is commissioned.

* 1961 – Isiah Thomas, American basketball player

* 1961 – Yolanda Adams, American singer, producer, and actress

* 1961 – Tom Ford, American fashion designer and director

* 1961 – Helmut Winklhofer, German footballer

* 1881 – Leo Carrillo, American actor ( d. 1961 )

* 1961 – Brad Gilbert, American tennis player

* 1961 – John Key, New Zealand politician, 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand

* 1961 – Amy Stiller, American comedian and actress

* 1961 – East Germany closes the border between the eastern and western sectors of Berlin to thwart its inhabitants ' attempts to escape to the West.

* 1961 – Sam Champion, American weatherman

* 1961 – Christos Christodoulou, Greek basketball player

* 1961 – Dawnn Lewis, American actress

* 1961 – Stuart Maconie, English journalist, author, and broadcaster

* 1961 – Neil Mallender, England cricketer

* 1961 – Tom Perrotta, American novelist

* 1961 – Sunil Shetty, Indian actor and producer

* 1961 – Cary Stayner, American serial killer

* 1886 – John Alexander Douglas McCurdy Canadian pilot and engineer ( d. 1961 )

* 1961 – Eddie James, American murderer and sex offender

* 1925 – Eddie Gaedel, American baseball player ( d. 1961 )

The song also was featured in the movie The Eddie Cantor Story and was the theme of the television series of the same name in 1961 – 1962.

Edward Regan " Eddie " Murphy ( born April 3, 1961 ) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician.

The Hustler was adapted into a 1961 film of the same title, starring Paul Newman as Fast Eddie.

* Eddie Rush ( born 1961 ), National Basketball Association referee

In 1961 Eddie offered Sylvie to record the song " Panne d ' essence " with the French rocker Frankie Jordan.

* Eddie Murphy ( born 1961 ), comedian, actor who has appeared in the Beverly Hills Cop series and as the voice of Donkey in the Shrek series.

Burke performed as part of a financially unsuccessful all-star bill organized by Sid Bernstein at the Medinah Temple in Chicago from 26 – 31 December 1961, with Dion, Frank Gari, Johnny Tillotson, Eddie Hodges, Freddie Cannon, Brenda Lee, Vicki Spencer, The Marvelettes, Clay Cole, Ral Donner, and Clarence " Frogman " Henry.

Her husbands were John Young ( 1942 – 43 ), George Jenkins ( 1946 ), Robert Grayson ( 1947 ), Walter Buchanan ( 1950 ), saxophonist Eddie Chamblee ( 1957 ), Rafael Campos ( 1961 ), and pro football player Dick " Night Train " Lane ( 1963 ).

* Night Hawk ( 1961, with Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Swingville )

In the 1961 Indianapolis 500 Foyt won over Eddie Sachs with a lead of 8. 28 seconds, the second closest finish in Indianapolis history at the time.

In 1961, he also released the hit " I Dreamed Of A Hill-Billy Heaven ," released six years earlier by Eddie Dean.

* Matt Johnson ( born 1961 ), frontman of the band The The, spent part of his childhood in " The Crown " pub, run by his parents Eddie and Shirley in the 1970s and 80s

His early leads include, " Your Wonderful Love " ( 1961 ), " Slow Down Heart " ( 1962 ), " I Want a Love I Can See " ( 1963 ), and " Oh, Mother of Mine " ( 1961 ) ( the group's first single ) and " Farewell My Love " ( 1963 ) both shared with Eddie Kendricks.

: Eddie Mathews, 3 ( 1961 – 1963 )

: 4 Eddie Mathews ( 1955, 1961 – 1963 )

Apart from many successes in the Ashton Challenge Cup and various Manchester Cup wins, Mossley had many lean years in the League and rarely finished in the top half of the table, although in 1961 they won the Cheshire League Cup for only the second time when they beat a strong Tranmere Rovers Reserve side 6 – 3 at Hyde United's ground under the guidance of former Blackburn Rovers star Eddie Quigley.

Longtime BMI songwriters, Brian Holland affiliated with the performing rights organization in 1960, followed by Lamont Dozier in 1961 and Eddie Holland in 1963.

Later, Eddie Holland had a career as a Motown recording artist, scoring a US Top 30 hit in 1961 with " Jamie ".

In 1961, Rich and Valentino, with singer Lanny Duncan, were in a band called the Starlighters, who recorded a demo of the song, " Let's Go ( Pony )", in Glendale with engineer Eddie Brackett ; the song went on to become a hit for The Routers.

After the 1961 season, Larsen was traded to the San Francisco Giants with Billy Pierce for Bob Farley, Eddie Fisher and Dom Zanni and a player to be named later ( Verle Tiefenthaler ).

These cover versions included " Three Steps to Heaven " ( originally by Eddie Cochran in 1960 ), " Heartbeat " ( originally written and recorded by Buddy Holly ), " Under the Moon of Love " ( originally a U. S. hit for Curtis Lee in 1961 and co-written by Tommy Boyce ), " When " ( originally by the Kalin Twins ), " You Got What It Takes " ( originally by Marv Johnson ) and " Dancin ' Party " ( originally by Chubby Checker ).