Origins & Early Life

Alan Stuart Franken (born May 21, 1951) is an American politician, comedian, screenwriter, and actor who served from 2009 until his resignation in 2018 as a United States senator from Minnesota. A member of the Democratic Party, he worked as an entertainer before entering politics, appearing on television and in film. Franken gained fame as a writer and performer on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live. He first worked on the series as a writer from 1975 to 1980, and returned from 1985 to 1995 as a writer and, briefly, a cast member.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Afterward, Franken became a liberal political activist, hosting a radio show and writing satirical books scrutinizing the American right. Though initially dismissed as a novelty candidate due to his background in comedy, Franken was elected to the United States Senate in 2008, defeating incumbent Republican Senator Norm Coleman by 312 votes out of nearly three million cast (a margin of just over 0.01%) in one of the closest elections in Senate history. Franken was reelected in 2014 with 53.2% of the vote. In January 2018, he resigned after allegations of sexual misconduct were made against him. He later said he regrets that decision.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In September...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abanindranath Tagore — Contemporary (Died in 1951) (1951): Pioneering figure of the Bengal School, modernizing Indian art against Western influence.
• Agrippina Vaganova — Contemporary (Died in 1951) (1951): Foundational Russian ballerina and creator of the influential Vaganova method.
• Alvin E. Roth — Contemporary (Born in 1951) (1951): Pioneering economist known for game theory and market design solutions.
• Alasdair MacIntyre — Shared historical date (05-21 · Died) (2025): Influential Scottish-American philosopher known for virtue ethics and political theory.
• Albrecht Dürer — Shared historical date (05-21 · Born) (1471): Master of the German Renaissance, renowned painter, printmaker, and theorist.
• Anatoly Karpov — Historical peer (Born in 1951) (1951): Legendary Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion.
• André Gide — Historical peer (Died in 1951) (1951): Pioneering French author, Nobel laureate known for exploring selfhood and transgression.
• Aage Bohr — Historical peer (Died in 2009) (2009): Pioneering Danish nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate for atomic structure theory.
• Al Martino — Historical peer (Died in 2009) (2009): Iconic Italian-American crooner, celebrated for standards and his role in The Godfather.
• Aaron Klug — Historical peer (Died in 2018) (2018): Pioneering biophysicist known for crystallographic electron microscopy and nucleic acid structure.
• 1951 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1951
• May 21 (05-21) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on May 21