• 1291 - Philippe de Vitry, French composer/poet
• 1345 - Ferdinand I, the wise one, king of Portugal (built navy)
• 1424 - Wladyslaw III Warnenczyk, king of Poland/Hungary
• 1541 - Hendrik van Kinschot, Dutch lawyer
• 1620 - John Evelyn, British diarist (Life of Mrs Godolphin)
• 1632 - Jan Vermeer, Holland, painter (Procuress, Astronomer)
• 1638 - Meindert Hobbema, Amsterdams landscape painter, baptised
• 1705 - Clemens XIV, [Giovanni Ganganelli], Pope (1769-74)
• 1740 - William Paca, US judge/signer (Declaration of Independence)
• 1750 - Leonor de Almeida marquesa de Alorna, Portuguese poet
• 1755 - Jean Louis van Aelbroeck, Flemish agronomist
• 1757 - Ignaz Spangler, composer
• 1761 - Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck, Dutch patriot/earl/Grand Pensionary
• 1785 - George F Kersting, German painter
• 1791 - Ferdinand Huber, composer
• 1795 - John Keats, London, England, romantic poet (Ode to a Grecian Urn)
• 1815 - Karl Weierstrass, Germany, mathematician (theory of functions)
• 1825 - Raleigh Edward Colston, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1896
• 1826 - Hugh Boyle Ewing, Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1905
• 1831 - Daniel Butterfield, Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1901
• 1835 - Adelbert Ames, Bvt Major General (Union Army), died in 1933
• 1835 - J F W Adolf Ritter von Baeyer, German chemist (Nobel 1905)
• 1847 - Galileo Ferraris, Italian physicist (2-fasenmotor)
• 1852 - Mary E W Freeman, US writer (Revolt of Mother)
• 1854 - Georg A Erman, German Egyptologist (Grammar of Ancient Egypt)
• 1860 - Juliette Gordon Low, activist/founder (Girl Scouts of America)
• 1875 - Seerp Anema, poet/writer (Dutch Coasts)
• 1876 - Eduard van Oort, zoologist (Ornithology of Netherlands)
• 1887 - Chiang Kai-shek, Chekiang Province China, pres of Nationalist China
• 1887 - Edouard Lalonde, Canada, NHLer (Mont Canadiens)/lacrosse player
• 1888 - George Hubert Wilkins, Aust, polar explorer (Flying the Arctic)
• 1888 - Harold Vincent Milligan, composer
• 1891 - Charlotte "Lotte" Bartschart, German/Dutch operetta singer
• 1892 - Ruth Fuller Sasaki, US, Zen teacher (1st Zen Institute of America)
• 1893 - Sara Allgood, Dublin Ireland, actress (Jane Eyre, Spiral Staircase)
• 1895 - Basil H Liddell Heart, English military historian/publicist
• 1895 - C K Nayudu, cricketer (brother of C S, India's 1st Test capt)
• 1896 - Ethel Waters, Chester Pa, actress (Beulah)/singer (Stormy Weather)
• 1897 - Wilbur (Pete) Henry, NFL tackle (Canton, NY Giants, Pottsville)
• 1898 - Alfred Sauvy, French statistician (Affluence & Population)
• 1900 - Carl Hubbard, Missouri, baseball & football Hall of Famer
• 1902 - Charles Drummond de Andrade, Brazilian poet (Claro Enigma)
• 1902 - Eduard Franz, Milwaukee Wisc, actor (Zorro)
• 1902 - Willie Shaw, race car driver (Indy 500-1937, 39, 40)
• 1906 - Jo Vis, resistance fighter (Yad Vashem-distinction)
• 1906 - Louise Talma, Arcachon France, composer (Summer Sounds)
• 1907 - Helen Lessore, artist
• 1912 - Dale Evans, [Frances Butts], Uvalde Tx, cowgirl (Roy Rogers Show)
• 1912 - Jean Am‚ry, [Johannes Mayer], Austrian writer (At the Minds Limit)
• 1917 - Erik Routley, composer
• 1917 - William Hardy McNeill, historian (Rise of the West)
• 1920 - Dick Francis, Wales, jockey/detective writer (Whip Hand, High Stakes)
• 1922 - Barbara Bel Geddes, NYC, actress (Vertigo, Miss Ellie-Dallas, Caught)
• 1922 - Norodom Sihanouk, king/pres/prem Cambodia (My War with the CIA)
• 1923 - Hicks B Waldron, Amsterdam NY, CEO (Avon)
• 1926 - Shirley Dinsdale, SF Calif, ventriloquist (Judy Splinters)
• 1927 - Lee Grant, [Lyova Haskell Rosenthal], NYC, actress (Shampoo, Landlord)
• 1928 - Andrew Sarris, movie critic (Village Voice)
• 1929 - Bud Spencer, Italian actor (Aladdin, Extralarge, Go For It)
• 1930 - Michael Collins, Rome, Mjr Gen USAF/astronaut (Gemini 10, Apollo 11)
• 1930 - Ray Crane, trumpeter
• 1931 - Dan Rather, Wharton Tx, news anchor (CBS Evening News, 60 Minutes)
• 1931 - David Lumsdaine, composer
• 1934 - Norman Beaton, actor (Eureka, Black Joy, Mighty Quinn)
• 1934 - Walter Steffens, composer
• 1936 - Sergei Nikolayevich Gaidukov, Russia, cosmonaut
• 1937 - Michael Landon, Forest Hills NY, actor (Bonanza, Highway to Heaven)
• 1937 - Tom Paxton, Chicago, folk singer/songwriter (Forest Lawn)
• 1938 - Rives McBee, Denton TX, PGA golfer (1989 RJR Bank One Classic)
• 1941 - Lucas Brown Jackson, San Marcos Tx, basketballer (Olympic-gold-1964)
• 1942 - Ben M J Hennekam, Dutch MP (CDA)
• 1942 - David Ogden Stiers, Peoria Ill, actor (Winchester-M*A*S*H, Doc)
• 1943 - Stephen Rea, actor (Crying Game, Michael Collins)
• 1944 - Deidre Hall, Milwaukee, actress (Days of our Lives, Our House)
• 1944 - Kinky Friedman, Palestine Tx, country rocker (Ride 'em Jewboy)
• 1944 - Sally Kirkland, NYC, actress (Anna, Sting, Pvt Benjamin, Big Bad Mama)
• 1946 - Ramnath Parkar, cricket batsman (Indian in 2 Tests v England 1972-73)
• 1947 - Frank Shorter, Munich Germany, US marathoner (Oly-gold/silver-72, 76)
• 1947 - Russ Ballard, rocker (Argent)
• 1949 - Bob Selbenberg, rocker (Supertramp)
• 1949 - Dumisa B Ntsebeza, S African attorney/anti-apartheid activist
• 1949 - Mike Parker, (Rep-D-Mississippi)
• 1949 - Odaline de la Martinez, composer
• 1949 - Terrence W Wilcutt, Russellville Ky, Major USMC/astronaut (STS 68, 79)
• 1950 - Jane Pauley, Indianapolis Indiana, newscaster (Today, NBC Weekend)
• 1950 - John Candy, Ontario Canada, comedian (SCTV, Uncle Buck)
• 1952 - Bernard Edwards, Greenville NC, bassist (Chicago-Addicted to Love)
• 1953 - John Lucas, Durham NC, NBA guard (Houston, Golden State, Milwaukee)
• 1958 - Russell Earl Cochran, Paducah KY, PGA golfer (1991 Centel Western)
• 1959 - Ann Henricksson, St Paul MN, tennis star
• 1959 - Val Kilmer, actor (Top Secret, Batman Forever)
• 1960 - Janice Harrer, Torrance Ca, WPVA volleyballer (US Open-1989, Oly-96)
• 1960 - Reza Pahlavi, Iran, son of Shah of Iran
• 1961 - Alonzo Babers, Montgomery Ala, 400m/4X400m relay (Olympic-gold-1984)
• 1961 - Christine Bridged, Australian European class yachter (Olympics-96)
• 1961 - Glenn "Doc" Rivers, NBA guard (San Antonio Spurs)
• 1961 - Larry Mullen Jr, Dublin Ireland, rock drummer (U2-I Will Follow)
• 1961 - Sterling Hinds, Toronto, 4X100m relayer (Olympic-bronze-1984)
• 1963 - Dermot Mulroney, Alexandria VA, actor (Samantha, Sunset, Long Gone)
• 1963 - Fred McGriff, Tampa FL, infielder (Atlanta Braves)
• 1963 - Johnny Marr, rocker (Smiths-Ask, Girl Afraid)
• 1963 - Rob Schneider, actor (SNL, Jamie Coleman-Men Behaving Badly)
• 1964 - Amanda Sandrelli, Rome Italy, actress (The Key)
• 1964 - Marco van Basten, Dutch soccer star (Ajax, AC Milan)
• 1965 - Annabella Lwin, [Myant Aye], Rangoon Burma, singer (I Want Candy)
• 1965 - Blue Edwards, NBA guard (Vancouver Grizzlies)
• 1965 - Ruud Hesp, soccer player (Roda JC)
• 1966 - Ad-Rock, [Adam Horowitz], rocker (Beastie Boys-You Gotta Fight)
• 1966 - Brian Keyser, Castro Valley CA, pitcher (Chic White Sox)
• 1966 - Koji Kanemoto, wrestler (NJPW/AAA/UWA, Tiger Mask, King Lee)
• 1967 - Vanilla Ice, rap singer (Ice Ice Baby)/actor (Cool as Ice)
• 1968 - Antonio Davis, NBA forward/center (Indiana Pacers)
• 1968 - Eddie Taubensee, Beeville TX, catcher (Cin Reds)
• 1968 - Russ McCullough, WLAF offensive linebacker (Frankfurt Galaxy)
• 1968 - Vanilla Ice, [Robert Van Winkle], rapper (Ice Ice Baby)
• 1969 - Damon Mashore, Ponce Puerto Rico, outfielder (Oakland A's)
• 1969 - Henry John Mills, NFL tight end (Houston Oilers)
• 1969 - Lee Woodall, NFL linebacker (SF 49ers)
• 1970 - Steve Trachsel, Oxnard Calif, pitcher (Chic Cubs)
• 1971 - Phillip Tataurangi, Auckland NZ, Australasia golfer
• 1972 - Clifford Rozier, NBA center/forward (Golden State Warriors)
• 1972 - Jamie Asher, NFL tight end (Washington Redskins)
• 1973 - Fiona Smith, ice hockey defenseman (Canada, Oly-98)
• 1973 - Ross Verba, NFL tackle (Green Bay Packers-Superbowl 31)
• 1974 - Jeff Gooch, linebacker (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
• 1974 - Julie Minta Gleneck, Miss New Hampshire USA (1996)
• 1974 - Serge Heuveling, soccer player (NEC)
• 1975 - Carla Boyd, Wynyard Tasmania, basketball player (Olympics-bronze-96)
• 1975 - Jagan Hames, Australian decathlete (Olympics-96)
• 1978 - Joselina Garcia, Miss Honduras Universe (1997)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 1448 - Johannes VIII Palaeologus, Emperor of Byzantine, dies
• 1556 - John Sleidanus, German humanist/historian (Commentary), dies at 50
• 1634 - Erasmus Widmann, composer, dies at 62
• 1641 - Cornelis C Jol, [Houtebeen], adm (South-America), dies at about 41
• 1654 - Francisco Correa de Arauxo, composer, dies
• 1661 - Mehmed K”prl, Albanian great vizier of Turkey, dies
• 1664 - Willem Frederik of Nassau-Dietz, viceroy of Friesland, dies at 51
• 1723 - Cosimo III de' Medici, monarch of Florence (1670-1723), dies at 81
• 1744 - Leonardo Ortensio Salvatore de Leo, composer, dies at 50
• 1765 - Duke of Cumberland, English politician/uncle of George III, dies
• 1768 - Francesco Maria Veracini, Italian opera composer, dies at 78
• 1793 - Pierre V Vergniaud, French politician/police leader, guillotined at 40
• 1806 - Sophie Mereau, writer, dies at 36
• 1815 - Daniel Belknap, composer, dies at 44
• 1851 - Peter II Petrovic Njegos, bishop of Montenegro (1830-51), dies at 37
• 1860 - Johan Nathan, murderer, hanged
• 1863 - Louis Ludwig Blenker, German/US brig-general (Union), dies at 51
• 1865 - William Parson, 3rd Earl of Rosse & maker of large telescopes, dies
• 1870 - Mihaly Mosonyi, composer, dies at 55
• 1879 - Big Snake, brother of Ponca chief Standing Bear, dies
• 1887 - George Alexander Macfarren, composer, dies at 74
• 1895 - Franz Hedrich, Austria writer, dies at about 62
• 1902 - Corn‚lie Huygens, Dutch feminist/writer, dies
• 1902 - Jean-Baptist Colyns, composer, dies at 67
• 1917 - Tibby Cotter, cricketer (at Beersheba 49 wickets for Australia), dies
• 1918 - Egon Schiele, Austria painter/graphic artist, dies at 28
• 1918 - Stephen Tisza, Hungarian PM (-1917), assassinated by soldiers
• 1925 - Max Linder, actor (Man in the Silk Hat), dies at 41
• 1926 - Harry Houdini, [Erich Weisz], US magician, dies in Detroit
• 1939 - Otto Rank, [Rosenfeld], Austria psychoanalyst (Trauma of Geburt), dies
• 1941 - Herwarth Walden, writer, dies at 63
• 1943 - Max Reinhardt, Austrian stage manager (Turandot), dies
• 1945 - Henry Ainley, actor (As You Like It), dies at 66
• 1948 - Cissy van Marxfield, [Setske Beek-de Han], writer, dies
• 1949 - Edward R Stettinius, US foreign minister (1944-45)/diplomat, dies
• 1950 - Carel T Scharten, Dutch poet/writer (Lost Paradise), dies at 72
• 1950 - Jozef C Bittremieux, Flemish theologist, dies at 72
• 1956 - Pietro Badoglio, Premier of Italy (1943-44), dies at 85
• 1960 - H L Davis, US writer (Honey in the Horn, Pulitzer prize), dies at 64
• 1963 - Henry Daniell, actor (Camille, Body Snatchers), dies at 69
• 1964 - Theodore C Freeman, astronaut, dies at 34 in a T-38 jet air crash
• 1965 - Rita Johnson, actress (All Mine to Give), dies at 53
• 1967 - Jan Mens, Dutch writer (Honor to God Alone), dies at 70
• 1968 - Ramon Novarro, [Jos‚ RG Samaniegos], actor (Ben Hur), dies at 69
• 1969 - Hugo Pfister, composer, dies at 55
• 1970 - P l Szab¢, Hungarians farmer/writer (Isten Malmai), dies
• 1971 - Gerhard von Rad, German old testament expert, dies at 70
• 1975 - Joseph Calleia, actor (Jungle Book, Gilda), dies at 78
• 1976 - Linda Watkins, actress (From Hell it Came, Harpy), dies at 68
• 1977 - Joan Tetzel, actress (Hell Below Zero), dies at 56
• 1983 - George S Halas, NFL coach (Chicago Bears), dies at 88
• 1984 - Eduardo De Filippo, director (7 Deadly Sins, Shoot Loud), dies at 84
• 1984 - Indira Gandhi, PM of India, assassinated by 2 of her bodyguards at 66
• 1986 - Robert S Mulliken, US physicist (Nobel 1966), dies at 90
• 1987 - Joseph Campbell, mythologist (Mythic Image), dies at 83
• 1988 - John Houseman, actor (Paper Chase, Fog), dies of spinal cancer at 86
• 1989 - Conrad Beck, composer, dies at 88
• 1990 - Graig Russel, Canadian travel expert/transvestite, dies
• 1990 - Hugh McPhillips, dies at 70
• 1991 - Bert Bertram, actor (How to Steal a Million), dies of cancer at 97
• 1991 - James Marshall, US children's book writer/illustrator, dies at 50
• 1991 - Johan Schmitz, actor (Gysbregt van Aemstel/Soldat van Orange), dies
• 1991 - Joseph Papp, Broadway producer (Chorus Line), dies of cancer at 70
• 1993 - Adriaan Venema, Dutch journalist/art dealer, commits suicide at 52
• 1993 - Edwin A Walker, US Maj-Gen, dies of lung cancer at 84
• 1993 - Federico Fellini, director (La Dolce Vita), dies of stroke at 73
• 1993 - River Phoenix, actor (Stand By Me), dies of drug overdose at 23
• 1994 - John Wyndham Pope-Hennessy, English art historian, dies at 80
• 1994 - Jole Silvani, [Niobe Quaiatti], Ital actress (La citta' Delle), dies
• 1994 - Lester Sill, pioneer music publisher/record producer, dies at 76
• 1994 - William John Readings, literary theorist, dies at 34
• 1995 - Alan Dudley Bush, composer pianist/teacher, dies at 94
• 1995 - Derek Anthony Enright, politician, dies at 60
• 1995 - Henry A Walter Richard Percy, 11th Duke of Northumberland, dies at 42
• 1995 - Lavad "Dr Hepcat" Durst, vocal/piano, dies at 82
• 1995 - Leonard Ernest John Chant, social Worker, dies at 57
• 1995 - Lloyd Lambert, bassist, dies at 67
• 1995 - Louis Levy Jr, music publisher, dies at 84
• 1995 - Rosalind Cash, actress (Emma-Go Tell It on the Mountain), dies at 56
• 1995 - Wallace Edward Rowling, PM of NZ (1974-1975), dies at 68
• 1996 - Andrew Hutchings, teachers' leader, dies at 88
• 1996 - Granville James Leveson Gower, land owner, dies at 77
• 1996 - John Gorman, printer/socialist historian, dies at 66
• 1996 - Peter Muir Doig, politician, dies at 85
• 1997 - Wilfrid Ewart Oulton, airman, dies at 86