* 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 – Jon Farriss, Australian drummer ( INXS )

* Jon Weber ( born 1961 ), American jazz pianist and composer.

* Jon Williams ( born 1961 ), NFL player for the New England Patriots.

Iceland again honored Jon Sigurðsson on its issue marking the independent republic established on 17 June 1944 ( and again on the 150th anniversary of his birth on 17 June 1961 and the centenary of the deaths of Sigurðsson and his wife, Ingibjorg Einarsdóttir, in 1979 ).

Jon Steven " Steve " Young ( born October 11, 1961 ) is a former American college and professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League ( NFL ) for fourteen seasons during the 1980s and 1990s.

People involved in the arts and born in the town include the actress Kathleen Harrison in 1892 ; Alfred Wainwright, author of the Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells, in 1907 ; broadcaster Russell Harty in 1934 ; the internationally renowned Contemporary artist Ross Eccles in 1937, many of his paintings feature Blackburn and Lancashire scenes and landmarks ; the writer Josephine Cox in 1941 who set many of her novels in Lancashire ; the actor Anthony Valentine in 1939 ; the actor Michael Billington, star of UFO in 1941 ; actor Ian McShane in 1942 ; rock musician Tony Ashton in 1946 ; actor Jon Walmsley in 1956 ; film maker Michael Winterbottom in 1961 ; actor Steve Pemberton in 1967 ; actress Wendi Peters in 1968 ; actor / comedian Lee Mack in 1968 ; television host Debbie Travis ; author Tony O ' Neill in 1978 ; television presenter and documentary director Michael Gibson in 1980 ; and singer and actress Diana Vickers in 1991.

Jon B. Erpenbach ( born January 28, 1961 ) is a Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 27th District district since 1999.

" In April 1961, Jon and Tiger made their first appearance as trainer and mascot on the baseball diamond.

* Jon Blundy ( b. 1961 )-geologist, Professor of Petrology at University of Bristol

Jon Lugbill ( born May 27, 1961 ) is widely considered to be the greatest whitewater canoe slalom racer ever.

Liner notes to James Tenney: Selected Works 1961 – 1969.

* James Tenney: Selected Works 1961 – 1969 at Artifact Records

The American people have indeed come a long way in the brief interval between 1930 and 1961.

The interesting thing about Mr. Lyford's approach, and the approach of the contributors to The Agreeable Autocracies ( Oceana Publications, 1961 ) to the situation of American civilization, is that it is concerned with comprehending the psychological relationships which are having a decisive effect on American life.

and now, therefore, do I, John A. Notte, Jr., Governor of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, proclaim Monday, May 22nd, 1961, as National Maritime Day, reminding our citizens that American Merchant ships and American seamen are ready at all times to serve our Nation in the cause of freedom and justice.

Over the first five frames, Jack Fisher, the big righthander who figures to be in the middle of Oriole plans for a drive on the 1961 American League pennant, held the A's scoreless while yielding three scattered hits.

Ex-Oriole Clint Courtney, now catching for the A's is all for the American League's 1961 expansion to the West Coast.

* 1961 – Cold 187um, American rapper and producer ( Above the Law )

* 1961 – Molly Hagan, American actress

* 1961 – Lee Rocker, American bassist ( Stray Cats )

* 1961 – Daniel House, American bass player and producer ( 10 Minute Warning and Skin Yard )

* 1961 – Bruce Matthews, American football player

* 1961 – Rikki Rockett, American drummer ( Poison )

* 1961 – Eddie Gilbert, American wrestler ( d. 1995 )