List of Famous people born on May 1st

Rory Kiely was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. Kiely was an unsuccessful candidate for the Dáil at the 1969 general election for the Limerick West. Kiely was first elected in 1977, to the 14th Seanad. He was re-elected by the Agricultural Panel to every subsequent Seanad, except for the short-lived 16th Seanad in 1982, until he retired in 2007. He was the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann from 2002 to 2007.

Leone Sforza was an Italian condottiero, a member of the House of Sforza.

Sir Humphrey de Trafford, 2nd Baronet was a prominent English Catholic. Born at Croston Hall near Chorley, Lancashire on 1 May 1808, he was the fourth child and the eldest son of Sir Thomas de Trafford.

Sir Johann Franz Julius von Haast was a German-born New Zealand explorer, geologist, and founder of the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch.

Sir John Boughey, 2nd Baronet (1784–1823), of Betley Court, Staffordshire, was an English Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme in 1812–1818 and Staffordshire in 1820 – 27 June 1823.

Vitaly Vyacheslavovich Melnikov is a Soviet and Russian film director and screenwriter. He was named People’s Artist of the RSFSR in 1987 and awarded Order of Honour in 2002 and IV Class Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" in 2010. He is also a member of the Russian Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences and was awarded the special Nika Award in 2016 "For outstanding contribution to national cinema".

Chen Gang is a former Chinese politician. Best known for his term in Beijing beginning in 2006, Chen played a prominent role in the construction of the venues of the Beijing Olympics and subsequent urban development projects. Elevated to the municipal standing committee in 2012, Chen seemed destined for higher office. However, he was abruptly moved to the North-South Water Transfer project in 2017. He was disgraced in 2019 and currently under investigation for graft.

Ethyl Spraggins Ayler was an African-American character actress with a career spanning over five decades.