• 1546 - Joachim III Frederick, elector (Brandenburg)
• 1556 - Abbas I, "the Great," shah of Persia (1587-1629)
• 1592 - Pierre de La Barre, composer
• 1662 - Richard Bentley, Oulton, scholar/controversialist
• 1679 - Jean-Fran‡ois de Troy, French painter
• 1701 - Johann N von Hontheim, German church historian/suffragan (bishop)
• 1715 - Vaclav Kalous, composer
• 1720 - Samuel Foote, England, actor/dramatist (Mirror)
• 1723 - Johann A Cramer, prime minister/poet
• 1756 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Austria, musical prodigy/composer (Figaro)
• 1775 - Friedrich von Schelling, Germany, philosopher (Views on Christianity)
• 1775 - Manuel del Popolo Vicente Rodriguez Garc¡a, Spanish tenor/composer
• 1784 - Martin-Joseph Mengal, composer
• 1805 - Samuel Palmer, London, painter/etcher (Valley of Vision)
• 1806 - Juan Cris¢stomo Arriaga y Balzola, Spanish composer
• 1808 - David F Strauss, Germany, theologist (Jesus' Life)
• 1822 - Thomas Leiper Kane, Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1883
• 1823 - Edouard-Victoire-Antoine Lalo, France, composer (Symphonie Espagnole)
• 1824 - Jozef Isra‰ls, Dutch painter
• 1826 - Richard Taylor, Lt Gen (Confederate Army), died in 1879
• 1828 - Louis Schubert, composer
• 1828 - Samuel Allen Rice, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1864
• 1830 - Georg Hellmesberger, composer
• 1830 - William Henry Fitzhugh Payne, Brig General (Confederate Army)
• 1832 - Lewis Carroll, [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson], auth (Alice in Wonderland)
• 1834 - Dmitri Mendeleev, chemist (discovered periodic table of the elements)
• 1834 - Robert Sanford Foster, Bvt Major General (Union volunteers)
• 1836 - Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, Austrian writer (masochism)
• 1850 - Samuel Gompers, Dutch/US 1st president (American Federation of Labor)
• 1851 - Rafael Obligado, Argentina, writer (Santos Vega)
• 1858 - Neel [Cornelia H] Doff, Dutch/French/Belgian painter's model/writer
• 1859 - Wilhelm II, Potsdam, German emperor (1888-1918)
• 1867 - Claude Antoine Terrasse, composer
• 1868 - Cato Engelen-Sewing, Dutch soprano prima donna (Dutch Opera)
• 1869 - Will Marion Cook, composer
• 1872 - Learned Hand, Albany NY, Chief judge (US Court of Appeals)
• 1882 - Giuseppe Prezzolini, Italy, writer (La Voce, La Cultura Italiano)
• 1885 - Eduard Knneke, German composer (Vetter aus Dingsda)
• 1885 - Jerome Kern, NYC, Broadway composer (Showboat, Roberta)
• 1887 - Carl Blegen, Minneapolis, archaeologist (excavator at Troy, Pylos)
• 1889 - Balthasar van der Pol, physicist (Comparison of Van der Pol)
• 1891 - Ilja Ehrenburg, writer
• 1892 - Mitya Stillman, composer
• 1894 - Fritz Pollard, early black NFL star (1920-26)
• 1895 - Claudio Carneyro, composer
• 1895 - Joseph Rosenstock, Cracow Poland, conductor (Nippon Phil Orch 1936-41)
• 1899 - Granville English, composer
• 1900 - Hyman G Rickover, US Admiral (father of modern nuclear navy)
• 1901 - Art Rooney, NFL team owner (Pittsburgh Steelers)
• 1901 - Willy Fritsch, German actor (Spies, Women in the Moon)
• 1903 - John Eccles, British physiologist/neurologist
• 1905 - Howard McNear, LA Calif, actor (Floyd-Andy Griffith Show, Jetsons)
• 1905 - Luther Diamond, radio personality
• 1906 - Radames Gnattali, composer
• 1907 - Henry Cotton, English golf champion (won 3x British Open)
• 1908 - William Randolph Hearst Jr, newspaper publisher (Hearst Publishing)
• 1911 - Benay Venuta, SF Calif, actress (Annie Get Your Gun, Call Me Mister)
• 1911 - George Pope, cricketer (Eng pace bowler, 1-49 & 0-36 in his only Test)
• 1912 - Lawrence Durrell, Indian/British writer (Private Country)
• 1913 - Milton Adolphus, composer
• 1913 - Valery Viktorovich Zhelobinsky, composer
• 1914 - Anna Larina, revolutionary
• 1915 - Jack Brymer, clarinettist
• 1917 - Dunboyne, Lord
• 1917 - Merrivale, Lord
• 1918 - Elmore James, musician (Dust My Broom)
• 1918 - Skitch Henderson, Birmingham England, orch leader (Tonight Show)
• 1919 - David Seville, [Ross Bagdasarian], Fresno Calif, (Alvin & Chipmunks)
• 1919 - H D Halsey, Bishop of Carlisle
• 1919 - Nina Milkina, pianist
• 1921 - Donna Reed, Denison Iowa, (From Here to Eternity, Wonderful Life)
• 1922 - Wilfrid Bourne, QC/Clerk of the Crown in Chancery
• 1924 - Alexander Georgiyevich Chugayev, composer
• 1924 - Kenneth Corfield, CEO (STC)
• 1924 - Rauf Denktasj, Turkish-Cypriot politician
• 1924 - Rix, Lord
• 1924 - Sabu, [Dastagir], India, actor (Elephant Boy, Drum)
• 1924 - William van Straubenzee, British MP
• 1925 - Geoffrey Tucker, British political consultant
• 1925 - John Bury, designer
• 1927 - Doretta Morrow, NYC, actress (Because You're Mine)
• 1927 - Joe Perry, AAFC/NFL Hall of Fame fullback (SF 49ers, Balt Colts)
• 1927 - Michael Craig, Poona India, actor (Escape 2000, Vault of Horror)
• 1927 - Nancy Dickerson, journalist (NBC)
• 1928 - Jean-Michel Damase, composer
• 1929 - Ingrid Thulin, Solleftea Sweden, actress (Cries & Whispers, Damned)
• 1929 - Richard Du Cann, lawyer QC
• 1930 - Bobby "Blue" Bland, Rosemark TN, blues singer (Call on the Drummer)
• 1930 - Esteban Edward Torres, (Rep-D-CA, 1983- )
• 1930 - Roger Sims, British MP
• 1931 - John Hopkins, writer
• 1931 - Mordecai Richler, Montr‚al author, (Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz)
• 1931 - Rudi Maugeri, rocker (Crew Cuts)
• 1931 - Vinson, Lord
• 1932 - Neville Trotter, British MP
• 1933 - Mohamed Al Fayed, CEO (Harrods)
• 1933 - Rita Hennessy, matron-in-chief (QARANC)
• 1934 - Donald Spiers, controller (Aircraft MoD)
• 1934 - Edithe Cresson, premier of France (1991-92)
• 1934 - Federico Mayor Zaragoza, Barcelona Spain, UNESCO director (1987- )
• 1934 - Julian Ogilvie Thompson, CEO (De Beers)
• 1935 - Gillian Beer, professor/president (Clare Hall-Cambridge)
• 1936 - Ismail Kadare, Albanian author/poet (Dimri i Madh)
• 1936 - Troy Donahue, NYC, actor (Surfside Six, Cockfighter, Hawaiian Eye)
• 1937 - John Ogdon, Manchester England, pianist/composer
• 1938 - Kim Gardner, rocker (Byrds)
• 1938 - Timothy Elworthy, Captain of The Queen's Flight
• 1939 - Mike Hill, Jackson MI, PGA golfer (1977 Ohio Kings Island Open)
• 1939 - N R Bomford, head master (Harrow School)
• 1939 - Rawlings, Baroness
• 1939 - Tigran Yegiayi Mansuryan, composer
• 1940 - Brian T O'Leary, Boston Mass, astronaut
• 1940 - Harry Kmel, Flemish director (Monsieur Hawarden)
• 1942 - James Cromwell, LA Calif, actor (Stretch-All in the Family, Babe)
• 1942 - Petr Kotik, composer
• 1943 - A H Harper, CEO (Baltic Exchange)
• 1943 - Cumberlege, Baroness
• 1944 - Kevin Coyne, rocker
• 1945 - Mairead Corrigan-Maguire, North Irish peace activist (Nobel 1976)
• 1945 - Nicholas Berkeley Mason, drummer (Pink Floyd-Brick in the Wall)
• 1945 - Nick Mason, rock drummer (Pink Floyd-Money)
• 1946 - Kim Gardner, England, rock bassist (Ashton, Gardner & Dyke)
• 1947 - Nedra Telley, NYC, vocalist (Ronettes-Be My Little Baby)
• 1948 - Chuck Larsen, rocker (Snuff)
• 1948 - Mikhail Baryshnikov, Riga Latvia, ballet dancer (That's Dancing)
• 1949 - Lifford, Viscount
• 1951 - Brian Downey, rock drummer (Thin Lizzy-Boys are Back in Town)
• 1951 - Scott Lane, NYC, actor (Gary-McKeever & the Colonel)
• 1951 - Seth Justman, Wash DC, rock keyboardist (J Geils Band-Centerfold)
• 1952 - Brian Gottfried, Baltimore Md, tennis star (Wimbledon Doubles 1976)
• 1952 - Peter Garland, composer
• 1954 - Kimberly J "Kim" Hughes, Australian cricketer
• 1955 - Mimi Rogers, Coral Gables Fla, actress (Paper Dolls, The Rousters)
• 1955 - Richard Young, Glasgow Ky, singer (Kentucky Headhunters-Davy Crockett)
• 1956 - Fred Quillan, Portland Oregon, WLAF offensive coach (Frankfurt Galaxy)
• 1957 - Frank Miller, US, comicbook writer (Batman-The Dark Knight Returns)
• 1958 - Alan Milburn, British MP
• 1958 - Charles Waltz, rocker (Shooting Star)
• 1959 - Chris Collinsworth, NFL wide receiver/TV sportscaster
• 1959 - Patti Cohoon, Whittier Calif, actress (Molly-Here Come the Brides)
• 1961 - Charlotte Kemp, Omaha Ne, playmate (Dec, 1982)
• 1961 - Gillian Gilbert, Manchester England, rocker (New Order-Round & Round)
• 1961 - Jean-Paul Banos, Lavelanet France, Canada sabre (Oly-9/10-88, 92, 96)
• 1961 - Karen Velez, Rockville Ctr NY, playmate (December, 1984)
• 1961 - Margo Timmins, singer (Cowboy Junkies)
• 1961 - Martin Degville, rocker (Sigue Sigue Sputnik-Love Missile F-111)
• 1961 - Rudi Mauger, rocker (Crew Cuts)
• 1962 - James F Doehring, Santa Barbara CA, shot putter (Olympics-silver-1992)
• 1962 - Michael Collins, clarinettist
• 1964 - Bridget Fonda, LA Calif, actress (Scandal, Single White Female)
• 1964 - Cathy Podewell, Calif, actress (Dallas)
• 1964 - Inga Thompson, Reno Nevada, US cyclist (Olympic-8th-88, 84, 92)
• 1964 - Jack Haley, NBA center (Chicago Bulls)
• 1964 - Migi, [Miguel Drummond] rock (Curiosity Killed Cat-Keep Your Distance)
• 1964 - Woody Austin, Tampa FL, PGA golfer (1995 Buick Open)
• 1965 - Igor Matoushkin, NHL defenseman (Belarus, Oly-98)
• 1966 - Michael De Angelis, hockey defenseman (Team Italy 1998)
• 1966 - Tamlyn Tomita, Okinawa, actress (Karate Kid 2, Ming Li-Santa Barbara)
• 1967 - Alfred Oglesby, NFL defensive tackle (Cin Bengals)
• 1967 - Carrington Garland, LA Calif, actress (Kelly Capwell-Santa Barbara)
• 1967 - Dave Manson, Prince Albert, NHL defenseman (Winnipeg Jets)
• 1967 - Laura Golarsa, Italy, tennis star
• 1967 - Sue Palmer, Collingwood Ontario, cyclist (Olympics-96)
• 1968 - Anthony Pleasant, NFL defensive end (Cleve Browns, Atlanta Falcons)
• 1968 - Eric Wedge, US baseball catcher (Boston Red Sox)
• 1968 - Matt Stover, NFL kicker (Cleve Browns, Baltimore Ravens)
• 1968 - Mike Patton, Eureka Ca, rocker (Faith No More-The Real Thing)
• 1968 - Reggie Johnson, NFL tight end (Phila Eagles)
• 1968 - Rusty Meacham, Stuart FL, pitcher (KC Royals, Seattle Mariners)
• 1968 - Tracy Lawrence, Atlanta Tx, country singer (Sticks & Stones)
• 1969 - Kristen Danihy, Lawton Okla, team handball circle/wing (Olympics-1996)
• 1969 - Phil Plantier, Manchester NH, outfielder (SD Padres, Red Sox, A's)
• 1969 - Shane Thomson, NZ cricket off-spin all rounder (since 1990)
• 1970 - Carlos Javier Bernardo, Dutch prince
• 1970 - Dario Brose, Queens NY, US soccer halfback (Olympic-92)
• 1970 - Dean Headley, cricket (grandson of George, England ODI quick 1996)
• 1971 - Mark Noordlander, soccer player (Sparta)
• 1971 - Patrice Brisebois, Montreal, NHL defenseman (Montreal Canadiens)
• 1972 - Bryant Young, NFL defensive tackle (SF 49ers)
• 1972 - Chad Askew, NFL wide receiver (NY Jets)
• 1972 - Mark Lawrence, Burlington, NHL right wing (Dallas Stars)
• 1973 - Eddie Davis, CFL cornerback (Calgary Stampeders)
• 1973 - Margot Bourgeois, Miss Universe-3rd place (Trinidad & Tobago, 1997)
• 1975 - Chaminda Vaas, brilliant Sri Lankan cricket pace bowler (1994- )
• 1976 - Haimish Karrasch, Australian rower (Olympics-96)
• 1976 - Mike Ferrier, Suriname/Dutch soccer player (FC Volendam, Salernitana)
• 1976 - Rhett Warrener, Shaunavon, NHL defenseman (Florida Panthers)
• 1979 - Jessica Lynn Ferdinand, Miss New York Teen USA (1997)
• 1981 - Jonny Lang, blues musician

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0098 - Marius Cocceius Nerva, emperor of Rome (96-98), dies at about 67
• 0672 - Vitalianus, pope (657-72)/saint, dies
• 0847 - Sergius II, pope (844-47), dies
• 1164 - Abraham ibn Ezra, poet/philosopher, dies
• 1540 - Angela Merici, Italian monk/monastery, dies
• 1565 - Robrecht de Berghes, prince-bishop of Liege (1557-64), dies
• 1612 - Maarten van Valckenborch, Flemish painter, buried at about 77
• 1625 - Adriaen Valerius, notary/Neth Gedenck-clanck, dies at about 49
• 1629 - Hieronymus Praetorius, composer, dies at 68
• 1669 - Gaspar de Crayer, Flemish painter, dies at 87
• 1699 - William Temple, statesman, dies
• 1731 - Bartolomeo di Francesco Cristofori, Ital piano builder, dies at 75
• 1763 - John Theodor of Bavaria, prince-bishop of Liege/cardinal, dies
• 1802 - Johann Rudolf Zumsteeg, composer, dies at 42
• 1814 - Johann Gottlieb Fichte, philosopher, dies
• 1814 - Philip Astley, theatre manager, dies
• 1816 - Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood/admiral, dies
• 1850 - J Gottfried Schadow, German sculptor/cartoonist/writer, dies at 85
• 1850 - Philipp Roth, composer, dies at 70
• 1851 - John James Audubon, conservationist (Audubon Society), dies at 65
• 1851 - Karl Moser, composer, dies at 77
• 1857 - Dorothea von Benckendorff, Baltic monarch of Lieven, dies at 72
• 1858 - Gerrit van der Linde Jz, Dutch "Principal", poet, dies at 49
• 1859 - Carl A Agardh, Swedish botanist/bishop of Karlstad, dies at 74
• 1860 - Jan¢ Bolyai, Hungarian mathematician (parallel), dies at 57
• 1864 - Franz von Klenze, German architect (palace Leuchtenberg), dies at 59
• 1866 - John Gibson, sculptor, dies
• 1889 - Ivan S Aksakov, Russian journalist, dies at 65
• 1893 - James G Blaine, US minister of foreign affairs, dies at 62
• 1901 - Giuseppe Verdi, Italian composer (Rigoletto/Traviata/A‹da), dies at 87
• 1904 - Adam Minchejmer, composer, dies at 73
• 1919 - Endre Ady, Hungarian poet (Margita ‚lni akar), dies at 41
• 1922 - Giovanni Verga, Italian writer (I Mala Voglia), dies at 81
• 1928 - Marie Verstraete, actress (Frou-Frou/Nora), dies at 74
• 1930 - Jean Hure, composer, dies at 52
• 1941 - Iver Paul Fredrik Holter, composer, dies at 90
• 1949 - Boris Asafiev, composer, dies at 64
• 1953 - Martinus Nijhoff, Dutch poet/interpreter/linguist, dies at 58
• 1954 - Paul-Marie Masson, composer, dies at 71
• 1955 - Ernst Penzoldt, writer, dies
• 1956 - Erich Kleiber, Austrian conductor, dies
• 1963 - John Farrow, actor/director (Botany Bay), dies at 58
• 1964 - Lieb Glantz, composer, dies at 65
• 1965 - Theo Uden Marsman, Dutch orchestra leader, dies at 63
• 1967 - Alphonse Juin, French marshal, dies at 78
• 1967 - Edward Higgins White II, Lt Col USAF/astronaut (Gemini 4), dies at 36
• 1967 - Roger B Chaffee, astronaut, dies at 31 in Apollo I fire
• 1967 - Virgil I (Gus) Grissom, astronaut, dies at 40 in Apollo I fire
• 1969 - Charles Winninger, actor (Charlie Farrell Show), dies at 82
• 1969 - Hanns Jelinek, composer, dies at 67
• 1970 - Ed Ford, comedian (Can You Top This?), dies at 72
• 1970 - Probir Sen, cricket (20 catch & 11 stumpings, 14 Tests for Ind), dies
• 1972 - Mahalia Jackson, gospel singer (He Got the Whole World), dies at 60
• 1972 - Richard Courant, German/US mathematician, dies at 84
• 1974 - Georgios Grivas, Greek gen/oppos leader on Cyprus (EOKA), dies at 75
• 1974 - Paula Ludwig, writer, dies at 74
• 1977 - Walter Baldwin, actor (Gay Amigo), dies at 88
• 1978 - Marguerite Canal, composer, dies at 87
• 1978 - Oscar Homolka, actor (7 Year Itch, Ball of Fire), dies at 79
• 1981 - Leo Collard, Belgian minister of Education (1946/54-58), dies at 78
• 1982 - Iris Korn, actress (Widder-Palmerstown USA), dies at 60
• 1983 - Louis De Funes, actor/writer (Mad Adv of Rabbi Jacobs), dies at 68
• 1983 - Paul "Bear" Bryant, US football coach (Alabama), dies at 69
• 1983 - Robert Christian, actor (Bustin' Loose), dies of cancer at 42
• 1984 - Lou Crosby, TV announcer (Mayor of Hollywood), dies at 72
• 1986 - L Ron Hubbard, novelist/founder (Church of Scientology), dies at 74
• 1986 - Lilli Palmer, German actress (Boys from Brazil, Kinder), dies at 71
• 1990 - Helen Jerome Eddy, actress (Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm), dies at 92
• 1992 - Francesca Primus, columnist (Back Stage), dies at 45
• 1992 - Gene Harris, entertainer, dies after long illness
• 1992 - Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies, Brit actress (Eliza Dolittle), dies at 101
• 1993 - Andre "the Giant" Roussimoff, WWF wrestler, dies of heart attack at 49
• 1993 - Erik M”rk, Danish actor (Europe), dies at 67
• 1994 - Claude Akins, actor (Rio Bravo, Lobo), dies of cancer at 75
• 1994 - Eddie Calhoun, jazz Bassist, dies at 72
• 1994 - Joe Mays, actor (Mr Saturday Night), dies of AIDS at 44
• 1994 - Stanley Adams, songwriter, dies at 86
• 1995 - Geoffrey Parsons, Australian/British pianist, dies at 65
• 1995 - Halsey S Colchester, British SAS/MI6-spy/priest, dies at 76
• 1995 - Jean Tardieu, author, dies at 91
• 1995 - Willem R "Wim" van der Zee, gen-sec Council of Churches, dies at 64
• 1996 - Barbara Skelton, writer, dies at 79
• 1996 - John Patrick Sutton Ludlow, actor (Agatha), dies at 93
• 1996 - Julian Hill, research chemist, dies at 91
• 1996 - Olga Havlova, political activist, dies at 63
• 1996 - Ralph Webster Yarborough, politician, dies at 92
• 1996 - Tommy Mitchell, cricket (Derbyshire leg-spin, 5 Tests for Eng), dies
• 1997 - Cecil Lewis, airman/writer, dies at 98
• 1997 - Matthew Coady, journalist, dies at 73