• 0749 - Leo IV, the Khazar, Byzantine emperor (775-80)
• 1037 - Su Tung-p'o, [J Sotoba], China, layman/poet/administrator [or Dec 19]
• 1477 - Anna de Bretagne, wife of Maximilian of Austria & Louis XII
• 1509 - Giovanni Morone, Italian theologist/diplomat/cardinal/"heretic"
• 1540 - Edmund Campion, London, saint/Jesuit martyr (Decem Rationes)
• 1615 - Govert Flinck, Dutch painter (Isaac blesses Jacob)
• 1626 - John van de Cappelle, Amsterdam, landscape painter
• 1627 - Robert Boyle, Ireld, physicist/chemist/author (experiments with color)
• 1634 - Gaspar Fagel, lawyer/pension advisor of Holland (1672-88)
• 1693 - Anna Ivanova Romanova, daughter of Ivan V/empress of Russia (1730-40)
• 1708 - Pompeo Girolamo Batoni, Italian painter
• 1728 - Antoine Court de G‚belin, French vicar/writer
• 1736 - Joseph-Louis, comte de Lagrange, Turin, French mathematician
• 1741 - Benedict Arnold, general/traitor (US revolution)
• 1750 - Johann Gottfried Vierling, composer
• 1759 - Robert Burns, Alloway Scotland, poet (Auld Lang Syne)
• 1766 - Hans CE Freiherr von Gagern, German advisor to Dutch king Willem I
• 1770 - Francis Burdett, British politician
• 1777 - Elias Canneman, Dutch liberal minister of Finance (1813-14)
• 1796 - William McGillivray, Old Aberdeen, naturalist
• 1806 - Daniel Maclise, Irish painter
• 1814 - Francis Harrison Pierpont, governor (Union), died in 1899
• 1826 - Rembt T H P L A van Boneval Faure, Dutch MP
• 1834 - Pablo Hernandez Salces, composer
• 1839 - Seldon Connor, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1917
• 1841 - John Arbuthnot Fisher, Ceylon, 1st Baron Fisher/admiral of the fleet
• 1844 - Frederick E Kitziger, composer
• 1851 - Arne Garborg, Norwegian playwright (Bondestudentar)
• 1851 - Jan Blockx, Belgium, opera composer (Sea Bride princess of Herberg)
• 1858 - Giuseppi Radiciotti, composer
• 1860 - Charles Curtis, (R) 31st US VP (1929-33)
• 1866 - Emile Vandervelde, leader of Belgian BWP party
• 1874 - Hewlett Johnson, [Red Dean of Canterbury], English bishop
• 1874 - [William] Somerset Maugham, Paris, novelist/poet (Of Human Bondage)
• 1880 - Francis George Scott, composer
• 1881 - Emil Ludwig, German biographer (Diana, Son of Man)
• 1881 - Gustave Frederic Soderlund, composer
• 1882 - Virginia [Adeline] Woolf, London, author (Jacob's Room, To Lighthouse)
• 1884 - Edward Kilenyi, composer
• 1885 - A J Else Mauhs, German/Dutch actress (Eline Vere, L'aiglon)
• 1886 - Wilhelm F�rtw„ngler, Berlin Germany, conductor/composer
• 1887 - Diego Valeri, Italian author/poet (Le Gaie Tristezze)
• 1889 - Vladimir Vladimirovich Scherbachov, composer
• 1891 - Dame Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies, Britian, actress (Cleopatra)
• 1891 - William C Bullitt, 1st US ambassador to USSR
• 1896 - John Moores, British gambling magnate/multi-millionaire
• 1898 - Joachim Wach, German/US philosopher/sociologist (Understanding)
• 1899 - Ace Goodman, KC Mo, comedian (Easy Aces)
• 1900 - Mildred Dunnock, Balt, actress (Baby Doll, Nun's Story)
• 1900 - Theodosius Dobzhansky, Ukraine, genetist/writer (Mankind Evolving)
• 1901 - Eric Brown, architect
• 1902 - Gerard P M Knuvelder, Dutch literature historian (Vocation, Kitty)
• 1903 - "Sleepy" John Estes, rocker
• 1904 - Frans Goedhart, Dutch journalist/founder (Het Parool)
• 1904 - G‚za Frid, Hungarian/Dutch composer/pianist
• 1908 - Lord Iliffe, English publisher (Coventry Evening Telegraph/Autocar)
• 1908 - W H V "Hopper" Levett, cricket keeper (England in 1 Test in Calcutta)
• 1910 - Harold Watkinson, politician/businessman
• 1910 - Hendrik Willem Hans Osieck, composer
• 1911 - Julia Frances Smith, composer
• 1912 - Lucius E Burch Jr, US lawyer/civil rights leader
• 1913 - Witold Lutoslawski, Warsaw Poland, composer (Jeux V‚nitiens)
• 1915 - Michael Duane, educationalist
• 1918 - Ken Mayers, actor (Robbie Robertson-Space Patrol)
• 1919 - Edwin Newman, NYC, newscaster/journalist/author (NBC-TV, Comment)
• 1919 - Patricia Louise Dalton, chair (Sherlock Holmes Society of London)
• 1921 - Alfred Reed, composer
• 1921 - Russell Reading Braddon, Australian author
• 1922 - Jules P de Palm, Antilles writer
• 1922 - Raymond Baxter, British TV host/author (Fast Lady)
• 1923 - Eva Zeller, writer
• 1924 - Lou "The Toe" Groza, AAFC, NFL tackle, kicker (Cleve Browns)
• 1925 - Eric Dempster, cricketer (NZ slow bowl of mid-50's, bowling avg 109.5)
• 1927 - Antonio Carlos Jobim, composer
• 1927 - Gregg Palmer, SF, actor (Scream, To Hell & Back)
• 1927 - Seung Sahn, zen teacher (Korean line)
• 1928 - Eduard Shevardnadze, Soviet Georgia, foreign minister of USSR (-91)
• 1931 - Dean Jones, Decatur Ala, actor (Ensign O'Toole, Company, Love Bug)
• 1931 - Harold Lloyd Jr, actor (Frankenstein's Daughter)
• 1931 - Paavo J Haavikko, finnish writer/poet/husband of Marja-Liisa Vartio
• 1931 - Stikkan, Stig Anderson, music entrepreneur
• 1933 - Coraz¢n Aquino, president of Philippines (1986-92)
• 1934 - Elizabeth Allen, Jersey City NJ, actress (Laura-Bracken's World)
• 1936 - Dan Schaefer, (Rep-R-CO, 1983- )
• 1936 - Diana Hyland, Cleve Hgts Ohio, actress (Peyton Place, 8 is Enough)
• 1937 - Don Maynard, NFL receiver (NY Jets), #13
• 1937 - Kathleen Tynan Halton, writer
• 1938 - Betico Croes, Arubian politician (Status Aparte)
• 1938 - Etta James, [Jamesette Hawkins], US singer (Roll With Me Henry)
• 1941 - Elzie "Buddy" Baker, race-car driver
• 1945 - Leigh Taylor-Young, Wash DC, actress (Peyton Place, Alice B Toklas)
• 1946 - Josephine M Verspaget, sociologist/Dutch MP (PvdA)
• 1946 - Ronnie Brandon, rocker (McCoys)
• 1946 - Silvio Blatter, writer
• 1950 - Gloria Naylor, US author (Women of Brewster Place)
• 1950 - Michael Cotton, rocker (Tubes)
• 1951 - Steve Prefontaine, Coos Bay Oregon, 5K (Olympics-4th-1972)
• 1953 - Malcolm Green, rocker (Split Enz-I Got You)
• 1954 - Condredge Holloway, Alabama, CFL quarterback (Ottawa, Toronto)
• 1954 - Richard Finch, rock bassist (KC & Sunshine-That's the Way I Like It)
• 1955 - Joe Strummer, vocalist/guitarist (Clash-Rock the Casbah) [or 8/21/53]
• 1956 - Andy Cox, rock guitarist (Fine Young Cannibals-She Drives Me Crazy)
• 1957 - Edmund Theodore Sylvers, rocker (Sylvers)
• 1957 - Jeff Gossett, NFL punter (Oakland Raiders)
• 1957 - Jenifer Lewis, actress (Girl 6, Meteor Man, Sister Act)
• 1957 - Martha Elizabeth Thomsen, Moses Lake Wash, playmate (May, 1980)
• 1958 - Dinah Manoff, NYC, actress (Elaine-Soap, Carol Weston-Empty Nest)
• 1958 - Gary Brian Tibbs, London, rock bassist (Adam & The Ants, Roxy Music)
• 1958 - Harti Weirather, Austrian alpine skier
• 1961 - Michele Tobin, Chicago Ill, actress (Fitzpatricks)
• 1962 - Chris Chelios, Chicago, NHL defenseman (Chicago Blackhawks, Team USA)
• 1963 - Carl Fysh, rocker (Brother Beyond-Can You Keep a Secret)
• 1963 - Joe Lloyd, Highland Park Ill, Canadian Tour golfer (1993 Space Coast)
• 1963 - Suzanne Klemann, Dutch singer (Lo‹s Lane-I Wanna Be)
• 1964 - Bob Sweeney, Concord, NHL center (NY Islanders, Calgary Flames)
• 1964 - Chip Foster, actor (Chip & Pepper's Surf's Up Saturday)
• 1964 - Pepper Foster, actress (Chip & Pepper's Surf's Up Saturday)
• 1964 - William Thomas Andrade, Fall River MA, PGA golfer (1991 Kemper Open)
• 1965 - Brian Holman, Winfield Ks, pitcher (Cin Reds, Seattle Mariners)
• 1965 - Esa Tikkanen, Helsinki FI, NHL left wing (Panthers, Canucks, Oly-B-98)
• 1966 - John [Vo] Velyvis, North Adams Mass, rower (Olympics-1996)
• 1966 - Mark Schlereth, NFL guard (Denver Broncos-Superbowl 32)
• 1966 - Paul Ranheim, St Louis, NHL left wing (Hartford Whalers)
• 1966 - Pavel Torgajev, Nizhnij Novgorod, NHL left wing (Calgary Flames)
• 1966 - Richie Lewis, US baseball pitcher (Florida Marlins)
• 1967 - Mario Brunetta, hockey goaltender (Team Italy 1998)
• 1967 - Marty Calder, St Catharine ON, 62 kg freestyle wrestler (Oly-12-92,96)
• 1967 - Randy Mckay, Montreal, NHL right wing (NJ Devils)
• 1968 - Lynette Brooky, NZ, golfer (NZ Open 1993/94)
• 1968 - Roosevelt Collins, WLAF DL (Amsterdam Admirals)
• 1968 - Tim De Leede, cricketer (Holland batsman 1996 World Cup)
• 1969 - Heidi Wolfgramm, rocker (Jets)
• 1969 - Jesse Harte, Rome Ga, heavy metal vocalist (Southgang-Tainted Angel)
• 1969 - Nolan Harrison, NFL defensive tackle (Oakland Raiders, Pitt Steelers)
• 1969 - Penny Moore, WNBA guard/forward (Charlotte Sting)
• 1970 - Chris Mills, NBA forward (Cleveland Cavaliers, NY Knicks)
• 1970 - Milt Stegall, CFL receiver (Winnipeg Blue Bombers)
• 1970 - Pau Coll, WLAF kicker/safety (Barcelona Dragons)
• 1970 - Scott Hendrickson, CFL guard (Saskatchewan Roughriders)
• 1971 - China Slick, rocker (daughter of Grace Slick)
• 1971 - Herman Smith, NFL/WLAF defensive end (Tampa Bay Bucs, London Monarchs)
• 1971 - Jordan Young, Thunder Bay Ont, Canadian Tour golfer (1992 Purdue)
• 1971 - Kerry Taylor, US baseball pitcher (San Diego Padres)
• 1971 - Kevin Williams, receiver/kick returner (Az Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys)
• 1971 - Konstantin Matoussevich, Israel, Men's high jump (Oly-7th-1996)
• 1971 - Tommie Jones, WLAF cornerback (Amsterdam Admirals)
• 1971 - Vincent Brisby, NFL wide receiver (New England Patriots)
• 1973 - Anthony Harris, linebacker (Miami Dolphins)
• 1973 - Elvis Presley Jr, alleged son of Elvis Presley
• 1973 - Marco Battaglia, tight end (Cincinnati Bengals)
• 1973 - Rodney Young, NFL safety (NY Giants)
• 1973 - Terrell Wade, Rembert SC, pitcher (Atlanta Braves)
• 1974 - Adam Meadows, offensive tackle (Indianapolis Colts)
• 1974 - Daniel Sproule, Australian field hockey halfback (Olympics-96)
• 1974 - Jonathan Bryan Colling, Boston, rocker (4 Fun-Unbelievable Fun Boys)
• 1975 - John Piersma, US, 200m/400m freestyle swimmer (Olympics-4th-96)
• 1976 - Tara Fleming, N York Ontario, LPGA golfer (1992 LPGA Corning-10th)
• 1978 - Christine Lakin, actress (Alicia Lambert-Step by Step)
• 1978 - Mandy Carraway, Miss Kansas Teen USA (1996)
• 1980 - Amanda Michelle Burns, Miss West Virginia Teen USA (1997)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 1138 - Anacletus II, [Pietro Pierleone], Jewish anti-pope (1130-38), dies
• 1139 - Godfried I, with the Beard, duke of Brabant/earl of Leuven, dies
• 1494 - Ferdinand I, cruel king of Naples, dies
• 1547 - Lieven Algoet, Flemish humanist, dies
• 1586 - Lucas Cranach "the Young", German painter, dies at 70
• 1640 - Robert Burton, author (Anatomy of Melancholy), dies
• 1726 - Guillaume Delisle, French geographer (Atlas g‚ographique), dies at 50
• 1733 - Reinier V van Hompech, Dutch gen-maj cavalry, dies
• 1744 - Domenico Natale Sarro, Italian opera composer, dies at 64
• 1820 - Joseph F Weigl, German/Austria violin cellist, dies at 79
• 1821 - Johan Valckenier, Dutch politician/patriot, dies at 62
• 1829 - William Shield, composer, dies at 80
• 1855 - Dorothy Wordsworth, writer, dies at 83
• 1875 - Leopold Jansa, composer, dies at 79
• 1882 - Peter Singer, composer, dies at 71
• 1896 - Frans C Baeckelmans, Flemish architect (Court of Justice), dies at 68
• 1896 - Frederic Leighton, President of the Royal Academy (1878-96), dies
• 1899 - Alfredo d'Escragnolle, French/Brazilian writer (Innocencia), dies
• 1906 - Joseph Wheeler II, Confederate General, dies at 70
• 1906 - Pierre L Goossens, Belgian archbishop of Malines/Cardinal, dies at 78
• 1910 - L‚on Walras, French economist (School of Lausanne), dies at 75
• 1917 - Edwin Tyler, cricketer (slow-lefty played once for England 1896), dies
• 1920 - Amadeo Modigliani, Italian sculptor/painter, dies at 35
• 1921 - Mykola Dmytrovich Leontovych, composer, dies at 43
• 1942 - Eugene Samuel-Holeman, composer, dies at 78
• 1947 - Al Capone, Chicago gangster, dies of syphilis at 48
• 1947 - Grace Moore, soprano/actress (One Night of Love), dies at 45
• 1949 - Emil Axman, composer, dies at 61
• 1952 - Sveinn Bjírnsson, Danish 1st pres of Iceland (1944-52), dies at 70
• 1960 - Diana Barrymore, actress (Ladies Courageous), dies at 38
• 1960 - Rutland Boughton, composer, dies at 82
• 1963 - Wilson Kettle, Nfld, dies at 102, leaving 582 living descendents
• 1965 - Staff Nees, Flemish composer (Maria-oratorio), dies at 63
• 1968 - Virginia Maskell, actress (Only Two Can Play), dies at 31
• 1969 - John Zaj¡c, Czech student, self incinerates
• 1970 - Eunice Hunton Carter, 1st black female DA in NY, dies at 70
• 1970 - Marie Benavente, actress (Paradise), dies at 84
• 1975 - Vivien Kellems, TV hostess (The Power of Women), dies at 78
• 1977 - Donald Kerr, actor (Devil Bat, Killer Bats), dies at 85
• 1978 - Tango Duke, dies in Australia at 42; oldest known thoroughbred horse
• 1979 - J Robertson Hare, actor (Fighting Stock), dies at 87
• 1980 - David Newell, actor (Dangerous Curves, White Heat), dies at 75
• 1981 - Adele Marie Astaire, sister of Fred Astaire, dies at 82
• 1981 - Richard Talmadge, actor (Speed Reporter), dies
• 1981 - [Adele] Marie Astaire, actress (Last Man on Earth, Millie), dies at 82
• 1982 - Mihail A Suslov, Soviet party ideologist, dies at 79
• 1986 - Ernst Schnabel, writer, dies at 72
• 1986 - Horace Smith, cricketer (1 Test NZ v Eng 1933, one wkt at 113), dies
• 1987 - Emil Hlobil, composer, dies at 85
• 1988 - Colleen Moore, actress (These Girls Won't Talk), dies at 87
• 1990 - Alexander Lockwood, actor (Duel), dies
• 1990 - Ava Gardner, actress (Barefoot Contessa), dies of pneumonia at 67
• 1990 - Ian Dudley Hardy, entertainer, dies
• 1991 - Stanley Brock, actor (Tin Men), dies of heart attack at 59
• 1992 - John Touchstone, actor (Across Five Aprils), dies of cirrhosis at 59
• 1992 - Mahmoud Riad, sec-gen of Arab League (1972-79), dies
• 1992 - Nico Schuyt, Dutch composer, dies at 70
• 1992 - Vernon William Reed Sr, singer, dies after a long illness at 73
• 1994 - Stephen Cole Kleene, mathematician (Regular Expressions), dies at 85
• 1995 - Peter Black, TV critic, dies at 82
• 1995 - Tom Brugman, Dutch puppeteer (Brave Dodo), dies at 62
• 1995 - William Sylvester, actor (2001, Devil Doll, Blind Corner), dies at 72
• 1996 - Jonathan Larson, composer, dead Aortic aneurysm at 35
• 1996 - Ruth Berghaus, choreographer/director, dies at 68
• 1997 - Herbert Eugene Caen, columnist, dies at 80
• 1997 - Jean Dixon, psychic (Gift of Prophecy), dies of a heart attack at 79
• 1998 - Mohammad Yusuf Khan, prime minister of Afganistan in (1963-65), dies
• 1998 - Shinichi Suzuki, music teacher, dies at 99