Famous Birthdays·January 10·Evan Handler
Evan Handler

USEvan Handler

A stage and screen actor who turned a near-fatal leukemia diagnosis into a powerful second act as a writer and survivor advocate.

Born 1961 (age 65)·American actor·Birthday: January 10·Baby Boomers

Photo: Kristin Dos Santos · CC BY-SA 2.0

Biography

Evan Handler's career began on the New York stage, where his intensity earned him early notice. His trajectory was violently interrupted in his mid-twenties by a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia, an experience he survived against slim odds and later chronicled in raw, darkly funny memoirs. Returning to acting, he became a familiar face on television, most notably as the gruff but tender-hearted Harry Goldenblatt on 'Sex and the City,' a role that redefined him for a new generation. Beyond his screen work, Handler has forged a parallel path as an author, using his own harrowing medical journey to explore themes of mortality, resilience, and the search for meaning. His performances, whether as the hapless Charlie Runkle on 'Californication' or in dramatic guest spots, carry a weight of lived experience that transcends typical character acting.

Baby Boomers

1946–1964

The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.

Evan was born in 1961, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.

#1 When Evan Was Born

The biggest hits of 1961

#1 Movie

101 Dalmatians

Best Picture

West Side Story

#1 TV Show

Wagon Train

Evan's Life & Times

The world at every milestone

1961Born

Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space

Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1966Started school

Star Trek premieres on television

Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1974Became a teenager

Nixon resigns the presidency

Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Could drive

Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies

Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1979Could vote

Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident

Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Turned 21

Michael Jackson releases Thriller

Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1991Turned 30

Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public

Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 40

September 11 attacks transform the world

Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 50

Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East

Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 60

January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally

Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 65 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump

Key Achievements

  • Portrayed Harry Goldenblatt, Charlotte York's eventual husband, across both 'Sex and the City' and its revival 'And Just Like That...'.
  • Authored two candid memoirs, 'Time on Fire' and 'It's Only Temporary,' detailing his battle with and recovery from leukemia.
  • Played a series regular role as Charlie Runkle on the Showtime comedy-drama 'Californication' for its entire seven-season run.
  • Received critical acclaim for his stage work, including a Theatre World Award for his performance in 'I Hate Hamlet.'

Did You Know?

He was diagnosed with leukemia at age 24 and given a 15% chance of survival, undergoing an experimental bone marrow transplant.

He is a trained Shakespearean actor and performed with the New York Shakespeare Festival early in his career.

His book 'Time on Fire' was adapted into a one-man stage show which he performed himself.

He is married to physicist and author Elisa Atti.

“Survival isn't about beating the odds. It's about accepting the odds and then outlasting them.”

— Evan Handler

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