• 1533 - Michel de Montaigne, France, essayist/philosopher
• 1552 - Jobst B�rgi, [Justus Byrgius], Swiss/German mathematician
• 1573 - Elias Hill, German architect/city builder (Augsburg)
• 1616 - Kaspar Forster, composer
• 1632 - Jean-Baptiste Lully, Florence Italy, composer
• 1663 - Thomas Newcomen, English co-inventor (steam engine)
• 1683 - Ren‚-Antoine de R‚aumur, France, biologist/engineer
• 1690 - Aleksei P Romanov, Russia, son of Peter the Great
• 1712 - Louis Joseph de Montcalm de Saint-V‚ran, France, general
• 1747 - Justin Morgan, composer
• 1750 - Ignacy Potocki, Polish foreign minister
• 1764 - Robert Haldane, Scottish theologist/philanthropist
• 1771 - French Jozef Kinsoen, Flemish portrait painter
• 1786 - D Fran‡ois J Arago, French astronomer/physicist/politician
• 1792 - Henriette ALF countess d'Oultremont de W‚gimont, wife of King Willem I
• 1792 - Karl Earnest Ritter von Baer, Estonian/German embryologist
• 1797 - Mary Lyon, US, educator (Mt Holyoke) (Hall of Fame)
• 1797 - W Frederik K, prince of Netherlands/general/admiral (10 day campaign)
• 1799 - Johann von D”llinger, German Old Catholic theologian/historian
• 1810 - Reinier C Bakhuizen van de Brink, Dutch historian
• 1812 - Berthold Auerbach, German author (Schwarzw„lder Dorfgeschichten)
• 1817 - James Craig, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1888
• 1820 - John Tenniel, England, cartoonist/illustrator (Alice in Wonderland)
• 1822 - Matthew Duncan Ector, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1879
• 1823 - Ernest Renan, French philosopher/historian/scholar of religion
• 1824 - Charles Blondin, France, acrobat/aerialist
• 1824 - John Creed Moore, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1910
• 1825 - Quincy Adams Gillmore, Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1888
• 1833 - Alfred von Schlieffen, Count/Prussian general-fieldmarshal
• 1850 - Hermann Schell, German theologist/philosopher (Gott und Geist)
• 1854 - Juliusz Zarebski, composer
• 1857 - Gustave Adolph Kerker, composer
• 1858 - Jacob P Vis, Dutch industrialist (founder NV Royal Salt Industries)
• 1865 - Arthur Symons, Welsh poet/critic/co-founder (Savoy)
• 1865 - Wilfred Grenfell, England, medical missionary
• 1866 - Vyacheslav I Ivanov, Russian philosopher/classical/poet [OS=2/16]
• 1874 - Soledad Jiminez, Santander Spain, actor (Phantom ofthe Range)
• 1875 - Viliam Figus, composer
• 1876 - John Alden Carpenter, Chicago Illinois, composer (Sea Drift)
• 1877 - Sergei Bortkiewicz, composer
• 1882 - Geraldine Farrar, US soprano/actress (Story of American Singer)
• 1882 - Jos‚ Vasconcelos, Oaxaca M‚xico, politician/essayist/philosopher
• 1882 - Richard Heinrich Stein, composer
• 1886 - Jos‚ Guti‚rrez Solana, Spanish painter/author (Madrid Escenas)
• 1886 - Max Vasmer, German slavic (La Tertulia de Pombo)
• 1887 - William Zorach, Lithuania, US sculptor (Spirit of the Dance)
• 1889 - Victor Sutherland, Paducah KY, actor (Captive City)
• 1890 - Vaslav Nijinsky, Kiev Ukraine, ballet dancer (3/12 NS)
• 1893 - Ben Hecht, NYC, novelist/playwright/screenwriter (Front Page)
• 1895 - Guiomar Novaes, Brazil, pianist (Brazilian Order of Merit)
• 1895 - Marcel Pagnol, French playwright/director (Marchands de Gloire)
• 1896 - Philip Showalter Hench, Pittsburgh, physician (cortisone-Nobel)
• 1898 - Molly Picon, Yiddish actress (Milk & Honey)
• 1899 - Frederick Denison Maurice Hocking, pathologist
• 1900 - Laura Z Hobson, writer
• 1901 - Linus Pauling, chemist/peace worker (Nobel 1954, 1962)
• 1901 - Rudolf W Nilsen, Norwegian poet (Hverdagen)
• 1905 - Glyn Jones, writer
• 1906 - Bugsy Siegel, gangster created casinos in Las Vegas
• 1907 - Milton Caniff, Hillsboro Ohio, Dutch cartoonist (Terry & Pirates)
• 1909 - Olan Soule, La Harpe Ill, actor (My 3 Sons, Arnie)
• 1909 - Stephen Harold Spender, Engld, poet/critic (Vienna, Edge of Darkness)
• 1910 - Roman Maciejewski, composer
• 1910 - Vincente Minnelli, Chicago IL, director (American in Paris, Gigi)
• 1911 - Amir Hamzah, Indonesian poet (Njanji Sunji)
• 1912 - Helmut Coing, German lawyer/director (Max-Planck-institute)
• 1914 - Jim Boles, Lubbock Tx, actor (Joe-One Man's Family)
• 1915 - Peter Medawar, England, zoologist, immunologist (Nobel 1953)
• 1915 - Zero "Samuel" Mostel, Brooklyn, actor (Fiddler on the Roof)
• 1917 - Hans Deutgen, Sweden, world champion archer
• 1917 - John B Connally, (Gov/Sen-D/R-Tx), took a bullet with JFK
• 1918 - Alfred Burke, London England, actor (Backfire)
• 1920 - Edward Kassner, music publisher
• 1920 - Jim Olin, (Rep-D-VA, 1983- )
• 1920 - Marjorie M Sweeting, English geomorphologist
• 1921 - John Bouber, [Blom], actor/author (Fool of Heideloo)
• 1921 - Vladimir Sommer, composer
• 1923 - Charles Durning, Highland Falls NY, actor (Fury, Sting, Tootsie)
• 1924 - Robert A Roe, (Rep-D-NJ, 1969- )
• 1925 - Harry H Corbett, Rangoon Burma, actor (Steptoe & Son, Jabberwacky)
• 1926 - Seymour Shifrin, composer
• 1926 - Stanley Glasser, composer
• 1926 - Svetlana Alliluyeva, daughter of Josef Stalin/author (My Life)
• 1927 - Bernard Frank, oriental scholar/writer
• 1927 - John Swire, British aircraft magnate (Cathay Pacific)
• 1928 - Bettye Ackerman, Cottageville SC, actress (Maggie Graham-Ben Casey)
• 1928 - Smokey The Bear
• 1928 - Tom Aldredge, Dayton OH, actor (What About Bob, Nurse, Mind Snatchers)
• 1929 - Frank O Gehry, architect (Galleria-Okla City)
• 1930 - Frank Malzone, baseball player
• 1930 - Leon Cooper, US physicist (Nobel 1972)
• 1931 - Gavin MacLeod, Mt Kisco NY, actor (Murray-Mary Tyler Moore, Love Boat)
• 1931 - Gustav Thoni, Italy, skiier (World Cup-1971, 72, 73, 75)
• 1931 - Jack Thieuloy, writer
• 1932 - Brian Moore, British commentator (Big Match)
• 1932 - Don Francks, Vancouver, actor (Terminal Choice, Finian's Rainbow)
• 1934 - Willie Bobo, NYC, jazz drummer (Cos)
• 1935 - Clive Halse, cricketer (S Afr fast bowler on 1963-64 Aust/NZ tour)
• 1938 - Martin Olav Sabo, (Rep-D-MN, 1979- )
• 1939 - Charles Brown, Cin Oh, featherweight boxer (Olympic-bronze-1964)
• 1939 - John Fahey, singer (Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death)
• 1939 - Tommy Tune, Wichita Falls Tx, dancer/choreographer (Boyfriend)
• 1940 - Joe South, Atlanta, guitarist/songwriter/singer (Games People Play)
• 1940 - Mario Andretti, race-car driver (1969 Indianapolis 500)
• 1941 - Alice May Brock, author
• 1941 - Marty Sanders, rock vocalist
• 1942 - Brian Jones, rock guitarist (Rolling Stones-Brown Sugar)
• 1942 - Frank Bonner, Little Rock AR, actor (WKRP, Hoax, You Can't Hurry Love)
• 1943 - Barbara Acklin, [Allen], Chicago, R&B singer (Love Makes a Woman)
• 1943 - Donny Iris, singer
• 1943 - Hans F Dijkstal, Dutch minister of the Interior (VVD, 1994-)
• 1944 - Colin Nutley, director/writer (Such is Life, Black Jack)
• 1944 - Kelly Bishop, CO, actress (Unmarried Woman, Advice to Lovelorn)
• 1945 - Charles "Bubba" Smith, Tx, NFLer (Balt Colts)/actor (Police Academy)
• 1945 - Mimsy Farmer, Chicago Ill, actress (Devil's Angel, Road to Salina)
• 1945 - Ronnie Rosman, rocker (Tommy James Shondells-Crystal Blue Persuasion)
• 1946 - Graham Vivian, cricketer (son of Giff, 5 Tests for NZ 1965-72)
• 1947 - Stephanie Beacham, England, (Devil's Widow, Schizo, Dallas, Colbys)
• 1948 - Bernadette Peters, [Lazzara], Queens NY, actress (Jerk)
• 1948 - Mercedes Ruehl, Queens NY, actress (Lost in Yonkers, Crazy People)
• 1948 - Willie Donnell Smith
• 1950 - Ilene Graff, Bkln NY, actress (Marsha-Mr Belvedere)
• 1950 - Stephen Chatman, composer
• 1951 - Gustavo Thoeni, Italy, giant slalom (Olympic-gold-1972)
• 1951 - Karsan Ghavri, cricketer (Indian lefty medium pacer early 80s)
• 1952 - Cristina Raines, [Tina Herazo], Manila Phil, actress (Sentinel)
• 1952 - Eddie Manion, saxophonist
• 1952 - Jennie Lynn, San Diego Calif, actress (Love & Marriage)
• 1952 - Melissa Babish, SC, swimmer (Olympic)
• 1953 - Ricky "Dragon" Steamboat, [Richard Blood], wrestler (NWA/WWF/WCW/AWA)
• 1955 - Adrian Dantley, Wash DC, NBA forward (Olympic-gold-1976, Utah Jazz)
• 1955 - Gilbert Gottfried, comedian (Beverly Hills Cop)
• 1955 - Randy Jackson, New Orleans, guitarist (Zebra-Tell Me What You Want)
• 1957 - Cindy Wilson, Athens Georgia, rock vocalist (B-52's-Love Shack)
• 1957 - Ian Smith, cricket wicket-keeper (NZ of the 80's)
• 1957 - Ian Stanley, keyboardist
• 1957 - Jeff Woodland, Papua New Guinea, Nike golfer (1991 Dakota Dunes Open)
• 1957 - John Turturro, Bkln, actor (Brain Donor, Color of Money, Jungle Fever)
• 1957 - Phil Gould, rock percussionist (Level 42-Hot Water)
• 1958 - Christine Lathan-Brehmer, German DR, 400m runner (Oly-gold-76)
• 1958 - Mark Pavelich, NHLer (NY Rangers)
• 1959 - Sydney P Mufamadi, South African leader (SACP)
• 1960 - Dorothy Stratten, Vancouver BC, playmate (August, 1979) (Galixina)
• 1961 - Barry McGuigan, British(?) boxer
• 1961 - Wayne Smith, Albany WA, Australasia golfer
• 1962 - Angela Bailey, England, Canadian 4X100m relayer (Olympic-silver-1984)
• 1962 - Chunli Li, Auckland NZ, table tennis player (Olympics-96)
• 1962 - Rae Dawn Chong, Edmonton Alberta, actress (Quest for Fire)
• 1962 - Steve Tsujiura, hockey forward (Team Japan 1998)
• 1965 - Duane Ferrell, NBA forward (SF Warriors, Indiana Pacers)
• 1965 - Mikko Makela, Tampere Finland, NHL right wing (NY Islanders)
• 1966 - Erik van Kessel, Dutch soccer player (FC Utrecht)
• 1966 - Jan Varholik, Kosice CZE, hockey defenseman (Team Slovakia)
• 1966 - Tim Goad, NFL defensive tackle (Cleve Browns)
• 1966 - Vincent Askew, NBA guard/forward (Seattle Supersonics, Trailblazers)
• 1967 - Antone Davis, NFL tackle (Atlanta Falcons, Phila Eagles)
• 1967 - Jeff[rey] Pfaendtner, Detroit, rower (Olympics-bronze-1996)
• 1967 - Marcus Lillington, rock guitarist (Breathe-All I Need)
• 1968 - J T Snow, US baseball 1st baseman (NY Yankees, Calif Angels)
• 1968 - Mike Milchin, Knoxville TN, pitcher (Minn Twins)
• 1969 - Elisa Fiorillo, singer (Forgive Me For Dreaming)
• 1969 - Robert Sean Leonard, NJ, actor (Dead Poets Society, Mr & Mrs Bridge)
• 1969 - Shawn McEachern, Waltham MA, NHL forward (Boston Bruins, Senators)
• 1970 - Jan Varholik, hockey defenseman (Team Slovakia 1998)
• 1970 - Mika Stromberg, Helsinki FIN, hockey defenseman (Team Finland)
• 1970 - Noureddine Morceli, Algeria, 1500m runner (Olympics-gold-96)
• 1971 - John Buchanan, actor (Sidekicks, Black Stallion, Family Man)
• 1972 - Melisa Moses, Jacksonville FL, diver (Olympics-4th-96)
• 1972 - Scott Gragg, NFL tackle (NY Giants)
• 1973 - Demetrice Martin, WLAF cornerback (Scotland Claymores)
• 1973 - Denard Walker, cornerback (Tennessee Oilers)
• 1973 - Eric Lindros, London Ontario, NHL center (Phila Flyers)
• 1973 - Gary Walker, NFL defensive tackle/defensive end (Houston Oilers)
• 1973 - Henry Bailey, NFL wide receiver/kick returner (Pitts Steelers)
• 1974 - Katie Allen, Australian field hockey full back/half back (Olympics-96)
• 1974 - Kevin Abrams, cornerback (Detroit Lions)
• 1974 - Michael Manasseri, actor (License to Drive)
• 1974 - Michael Swift, WLAF CB (Rhein Fire)
• 1975 - Azhar Mahmood, cricket pace bowler (Pakistani ODI 1996)
• 1976 - Angie Kennedy, Nambour QLD Australia, swimmer (Olympics-96)
• 1977 - Aki-Petteri Berg, NHL defenseman (Team Finland Oly-Bronze-1998, Kings)
• 1977 - Debbie Koegel, Norristown Pa, dance skater (& Oleg Fediukov)
• 1978 - Marissa Perez, Miss Connecticut Teen USA (1996)
• 1979 - Virginia Ledgerwood, Chester Va, rhythmic gymnast (Olympics-96)
• 1973 - Eric Lindros, NHLer (Phila Flyers)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 1261 - Hendrik, duke of Brabant (1248-61), dies
• 1573 - Jan "Hans" Liefrinck, Flemish engraver/publisher, dies at about 54
• 1609 - Paul Sartorius, composer, dies at 39
• 1618 - Filips Willem, Prince of Orange, dies at 63
• 1626 - Cyril Tourneur, English poet/dramatist, dies at about 51
• 1638 - Claude G Bachet de Meziriac, French mathematician/poet, dies at 56
• 1638 - Henri duc de Rohan, French soldier/Huguenot leader, dies
• 1665 - Lodewijk van Nassau, Dutch governor (Bois-le-Duc), dies
• 1737 - Hercule Brehy, composer, dies at 63
• 1742 - Willem J 's-Gravesande, Dutch physicist, dies at 53
• 1781 - Richard Stockton, US attorney (signed Decl of Ind), dies at 50
• 1784 - Phillis Wheatly, poetess, dies
• 1796 - Friedrich Wilhelm Rust, composer, dies at 56
• 1818 - Adriaan Loosjes Pzn, Dut publisher/writer (Moral Stories), dies at 56
• 1844 - Abel P Upshur, Secretary of State, dies in explosion on USS Princeton
• 1844 - Thommas W Gilmer, Navy Secretary, dies in explosion on USS Princeton
• 1876 - Charles Edward Horsley, composer, dies at 53
• 1903 - Girolamo/Jeromin de Rada, Albanian poet, dies at 88
• 1905 - Joseph C Juglar, French physician/economist, dies at 85
• 1912 - Bill Storer, English cricket wicketkeeper (6 Tests 1897-99), dies
• 1913 - Elephant seal, 6.8-m, 4000-kg, killed in S Georgia (South Atlantic)
• 1916 - Henry James, US/British writer (Bostonians), dies in London at 72
• 1922 - Vicente Lleo, composer, dies at 51
• 1925 - Friedrich Ebert, soc-dem president Germany, dies
• 1929 - Clemens Freiherr von Pirquet, Austrian artist (React of P), dies at 54
• 1929 - John Ebenezer West, composer, dies at 65
• 1931 - Ban Johnson, created (baseball's AL), dies after a long illness
• 1935 - Alexander W F Idenburg, gov-gen of Neth Indies (1909-16), dies at 73
• 1936 - Pedro Mu¤oz Seca, La Caraba/La oca, dies at 55
• 1940 - Alfonso XIII de Borb¢n, corrupt king of Spain (1902-31), dies
• 1940 - Johan C Braakensiek, Dutch political cartoonist, dies at 81
• 1949 - Stanley Robert Marchant, composer, dies at 65
• 1953 - Jim Thorpe, decathlete (Olympics-gold-1912), dies at 64
• 1959 - Maxwell Anderson, US dramatist (Key Largo, Bath Seed), dies at 70
• 1960 - F S Flint, British translator/poet (imagist movement), dies at 74
• 1960 - Jonathan Hale, actor (Blondie), shoots himself at 68
• 1961 - Joris Vriamont, Flemish writer/music publisher, dies at 64
• 1962 - Harold Ogden "Chic" Johnson, comedian (Olsen & Johnson), dies at 70
• 1963 - Theodore Newton, actor (Voltaire, Ace of Aces), dies at 58
• 1964 - Dirk HW Filarski, painter/lithographer (Bergen School), dies at 78
• 1965 - Adolf Sch„rf, president of Austria (1957-65), dies at 74
• 1966 - Charles A Bassett II, astronaut, dies at 34, in a crash of T-38 jet
• 1966 - Elliot McKay See Jr, astronaut, dies at 38 in T-38 jet crash
• 1968 - Doretta Morrow, actress (Because You're Mine), dies at 41
• 1968 - Frankie Lymon, singer, dies at 25
• 1968 - Juanita Hall, actress (Capt Billy), dies at 66
• 1972 - Victor Barna, table tennis champ, dies
• 1973 - Cecil Kellaway, actor (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner), dies at 78
• 1973 - Hope Landin, actress (I Remember Mama, Sugarfoot), dies at 79
• 1974 - Mees Toxopeus, Dutch rescue-vessel captain, dies at 89
• 1975 - Istvan Kardos, composer, dies at 83
• 1977 - Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, comedian (Jack Benny Show), dies at 71
• 1978 - Eric Frank Russell, sci-fi author (Hugo, Deep Space), dies at 73
• 1978 - Philip Ahn, LA Calif, actor (Master Kan-Kung Fu), dies at 66
• 1979 - Jane Hylton, English actress (Adv of Sir Lancelot), dies at 52
• 1979 - Mr Ed, talking horse, dies
• 1980 - Ian Alexander Ross Peebles, cricketer (45 wkts for England), dies
• 1984 - Leslie Walcott, cricketer (Test for WI v England 1930), dies
• 1985 - Charita Bauer, actress (Mary-Aldrich Family), dies at 62 in NYC
• 1986 - Sven Olof Palme, Swedish PM (1969-76, 82-86), assassinated at 59
• 1987 - Anny Ondra, actress (Blackmail), dies at 83
• 1987 - Nora Kaye, US ballet dancer, dies at 67
• 1988 - Mikha`il Na'imah, Lebanese playwright, dies at 99
• 1989 - Hermann Burger, writer, dies at 46
• 1990 - Colin Milburn, cricketer (9 Tests for England, 654 runs), dies
• 1990 - Fabia Drake, actress (Nice Girl Like Me), dies at 86
• 1990 - Tuppy Owen-Smith, S Afr cricketer (batsman v England 1929), dies
• 1991 - Guillermo Ungo, member of El Salvador junta (1979-80), dies
• 1992 - Angelique Pettyjohn, actress (Body Talk, Star Trek), dies at 49
• 1992 - Emilla Sherman, choreographer/rockette, dies
• 1992 - La Lupe, Cuban singer, dies of a heart attack in the Bronx at 53
• 1993 - Fer A Olthoff, Dutch WW II resistance fighter (Het Parool), dies
• 1993 - Franco Brusati, Italian dir/writer (Bread & Chocolate), dies at 70
• 1993 - Ishiro Honda, Japanese director/producer (Godzilla), dies at 81
• 1993 - Joyce Carey, [Lawrence], English actress (Number 27), dies at 94
• 1993 - Ruby Keeler, actress (42nd Street, Dames), dies of cancer at 82
• 1994 - Aisin Giorro Pu Chieh, brother of Last Emperor of China, dies at 86
• 1994 - Buster Holmes, chef/restaurateur, dies at 88
• 1994 - Elbert "Skippy" Williams, tenor Sax player, dies at 77
• 1994 - George Osborne Sayles, historian, dies at 92
• 1994 - Leopoldina Poldi Feichtegger Gerhard, dies at 90
• 1994 - Pu Yi, brother of last Chinese emperor, Pu Yi, dies at 87
• 1995 - Herman "Ace" Wallace, blues guitarist/singer, dies at 69
• 1995 - Keith Rigg, cricketer (8 Tests for Australia 1931-37), dies
• 1995 - Max Rudolf, conductor, dies at 92
• 1996 - Daniel Chipenda, angolam politician, dies at 64