• 1397 - Joƒo II, King of Aragon (Spain)
• 1517 - Rembert Dodoens, [Rembertus Dodonaeus], physician/botanist
• 1738 - Constantin Reindl, composer
• 1746 - Joachim H Campe, German author (Robinson of the Jngere)
• 1783 - August Alexander Klengel, composer
• 1798 - Willibald Alexis, [Georg W H„ring], German writer (Schloss Avalon)
• 1805 - Hiram Powers, US sculptor (Greek Slave)
• 1824 - Victor J van Hinsbergh, South Neth engraver (PTT Stempels)
• 1831 - William Thomas Clark, Bvt Mjr General (Union volunteers), died in 1905
• 1842 - Josef Labor, composer
• 1849 - Sergei J Witte, Neth/Russ count/premier Russia
• 1850 - Joseph Paul Skelly, composer
• 1858 - George Washington Goethals, engineer (built Panama Canal)
• 1861 - William James Mayo, surgeon/co-founder Mayo clinic in Minnesota
• 1863 - James Harvey Robinson, Ill, historian (Ordeal of Civilization)
• 1864 - Anton Beer-Walbrun, composer
• 1864 - Pietro Bonfante, Italian lawyer (Roman law)
• 1865 - Shigechiyo Izumi, achieved oldest authenticated age (120 y 237 d)
• 1865 - William E Borah, lawyer/(Sen-R-Id)
• 1870 - Joseph Carl Breil, composer
• 1874 - Georg Gohler, composer
• 1876 - Nellie Taylor Ross, 1st woman to serve as a gov (Wyoming, 1925-27)
• 1879 - Zsigmond M¢ricz, Hungarian writer (S rarany [Mud gold])
• 1880 - Ludwig Beck, chef Germany general staff ("July 20th plot")
• 1885 - Andre Gailhard, composer
• 1885 - S Pedro Humberto Allende, Chilian composer (And una Ma€anita)
• 1885 - Virginia Pope, (NY Times)
• 1886 - George Frederick Boyle, composer
• 1886 - James Van DerZee, famous African
• 1886 - Juliane Gabriels, Flemish physician (Artus Quellin)
• 1886 - Robert Schuman, French premier
• 1893 - Aare Merikanto, composer
• 1893 - Antoon Schweigmann, Dutch religious poet/resistance fighter
• 1896 - Irene Browne, England, actress (All at Sea, Peg O' My Heart)
• 1897 - Ottmar Gerster, composer
• 1900 - Antoine Saint-Exup‚ry, France, aviator/writer (Wind, Sand & Stars)
• 1901 - Frieda Inescort, Edinburgh Scotland, actress (Pride & Prejudice)
• 1901 - Hendrik Diels, Flemish conductor
• 1901 - Nelson Eddy, Providence RI, baritone (Duets with Jeanette MacDonald)
• 1902 - Carl-Heinz Schroth, Innsbruck, director (Reaching for the Stars)
• 1902 - Ellen Clara Pollock, actress (Wicked Lady, Horror Hospital)
• 1905 - Manuel Altolaguirre, Spanish poet/publisher (La lenta libertad)
• 1907 - Joan Davis, St Paul Minn, actress (I Married Joan)
• 1907 - Paul O'Dwyer, pres of City Council (D-NYC)
• 1908 - Paul Lebeau, Flemish writer (Last Rose, Xanthippe)
• 1908 - Rene Gerber, composer
• 1909 - Leroy Anderson, US, composer (Syncopated Clock)
• 1910 - Franc Henry Loesser, US songwriter/composer (Most Happy Fella)
• 1911 - Bernard Herrmann, composer
• 1911 - Bernhard, Germany, Prince (Consort to Queen Juliana of Netherlands)
• 1911 - Klaus E J Fuchs, German/British/German nuclear physicist/spy
• 1912 - John Toland, US, political writer (Rising Sun, Pulitzer 1971)
• 1912 - Jos‚ Pablo Moncayo Garcia, Guadalajara M‚xico, composer (Huapango)
• 1914 - Rafael Kubelik, Bychory Czechoslovakia, conductor (Cornelia Farooli)
• 1916 - David Donaldson, painter
• 1916 - Ruth Warwick, St Joseph Mo, actress (Citizen Kane, All My Children)
• 1918 - Jack Harkness, rose grower
• 1919 - Slim Pickens, Kingsburg Calif, actor (Dr Strangelove, Blazing Saddles)
• 1920 - Ray Harryhausen, movie special effect artist (Clash of Titans)
• 1922 - Vasko Popa, Yugoslavia/Serbian poet (Heaven is a Side Issue)
• 1923 - Chou Wen-Chung, Cheefoo China, composer (Mode of Shang)
• 1924 - Ezra Laderman, NYC, composer (Jacob & the Indians)
• 1925 - Cara Williams, Bkln NY, actress (Pete & Gladys, Cara Williams Show)
• 1925 - Hale Smith, composer
• 1928 - Ian Bannen, Airdrie Scotland, actor (Eye of the Needle, Gorky Park)
• 1929 - Johnny Ace, rocker
• 1929 - Michio Mamaia, composer
• 1929 - Peter George, Akron Ohio, weightlifter (Oly-gold/2 silver-48, 52)
• 1930 - Robert Evans, NYC, director/actor (Love Story, Godfather, Chinatown)
• 1934 - Carl Levin, (Sen-D-MI)
• 1934 - Henning Kronstam, dancer
• 1936 - David Jenkins, US, figure skater (Olympic-gold-1960)
• 1936 - Harmon Killebrew, baseball player (Minnesota Twins)
• 1936 - Leonard Lee, US vocalist (Shirley & Lee-Let the Good Times Roll)
• 1938 - Billy Storm, singer (Valiants-This is the Night)
• 1938 - Edmund Falkiner, jazz saxophinist/probation officer
• 1939 - Alan Connolly, cricketer (Australian pace bowler through 60s)
• 1939 - Ron Headley, cricketer (son of George, 2 Tests WI v England 1973)
• 1940 - Louise S Groenman, Dutch MP (D66)
• 1940 - Viacheslav Artyomov, composer
• 1941 - Margritta Gummel, German DR, shot putter (Olympic-gold-1968)
• 1941 - Stokeley Carmichael, [Kwame Toure], US, Black Power-activist
• 1942 - Bas J van der Vlies, Dutch MP (SGP)
• 1942 - Larry Snyder, jockey
• 1943 - Roger Ruskin Spear, London Eng, saxophonist (Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band)
• 1944 - Collin Peterson, (Rep-D-Minnesota)
• 1944 - Gary Busey, Goose Creek Tx, actor (Buddy Holly Story, Star in Born)
• 1945 - Johnnie Richardson, rocker (Johnnie & Joe)
• 1945 - Little Eva [Boyd], Belhaven NC, rock vocalist (Locomotion)
• 1947 - Jeff Moss, cricketer (one Test Australia v Pakistan 1979)
• 1947 - Richard Lewis, NYC, comedian (Marty Gold-Anything But Love)
• 1948 - Bill Kirchen, singer/guitarist (Commander Cody & His Lost Planet)
• 1948 - Charles McCorquodale, art historian
• 1948 - Fred Grandy, Sioux City IA, (Rep-R-Iowa, 1986- )/actor (Love Boat)
• 1948 - Ian Paice, British hard rock drummer(White Snake, Deep Purple)
• 1948 - Loncoln Gordon, rocker
• 1949 - Dan Dierdorf, NFLer, sportscaster (Monday Night Football)
• 1953 - Billy Hinsche, rocker
• 1953 - Colin Hay, Scotland, rock vocalist (Men At Work)
• 1953 - Don Dokken, heavy metal rocker (Dokken-Alone Again)
• 1953 - Rosa Mota, Port marathoner (Olympic-gold-1988)
• 1954 - Rick Honeycutt, Chattanooga TN, pitcher (St Louis Cardinals)
• 1955 - Charles J Precourt, Waltham Mass, astronaut (STS 55, 71, 84, sk:91)
• 1957 - Maria Conchita Alonso, Cuba, actress (Moscow on the Hudson)
• 1958 - Leslie Browne, NYC, ballerina (Turning Point)
• 1958 - Richard Mettee, horse trainer
• 1959 - Edward F Humenik, Detroit MI, PGA golfer (1994 Kmart Greater-2nd)
• 1959 - Kim Hiett, jockey
• 1959 - Larry Parham, 4th victim of NYC's Zodiac killer (1st to die)
• 1960 - Sergey Kopylov, USSR, cyclist (Olympic-gold-1980)
• 1961 - Jean-Fran‡ois Sen‚cal, Laval Quebec, rifle shooter (Olympics-3-92, 96)
• 1962 - Amanda Donohoe, London, actress (CJ Lamb-LA Law)
• 1962 - Sharon Lawrence, Charlotte NC, actr (Civil Wars, NYPD Blue, Fired Up)
• 1963 - Anne-Sophie Mutter, Rheinfeldin Germany, violinist (Berlin Phil)
• 1963 - Tracey E Bregman, Munich Germany, actress (Lauren-Bold & Beautiful)
• 1964 - Pepper Johnson, NFL linebacker (NY Giants, Cleve Browns)
• 1964 - Stedman Pearson, Essex, rock vocalist (Five Star-Silk & Steel)
• 1964 - Wendy Kilbourne, actress (Devon-Midnight Caller) [1964 Approx]
• 1965 - Barry D, [Iain Bakker], English pop musician (Jesus Jones)
• 1965 - Paul Jarvis, cricketer (England pace bowler 1988-93)
• 1967 - John Wehner, Pittsburgh PA, infielder (Pitts Pirates)
• 1967 - Melora Hardin, Houston Tx, actress (Family Tree, Best Times)
• 1968 - Theoren Fleury, Oxbow Sask, NHL right wing (Calgary Flames, Canada)
• 1969 - Erik Tammer, soccer player (SC Heerenveen, Go Ahead Eagles)
• 1969 - Simon Brown, cricketer (Durham pace bowler, England 1996)
• 1970 - Troy Drayton, tight end (Miami Dolphins)
• 1971 - Dennis Gerritsen, soccer player (NAC)
• 1971 - Mike Sillinger, Regina, NHL right wing (Vanc Canucks, Anaheim Ducks)
• 1971 - Wendee Espinosa, Stockton Calif, female outfielder (Silver Bullets)
• 1972 - Fabrice L'Henry, hockey forward (Team France 1998)
• 1972 - Samantha Smith, Houlton Mo, actress (Elizabeth-Lime Street)
• 1973 - George Hincapie, Queens NY, road cyclist (Olympics-76th-92, 96)
• 1974 - Ted Giannous, San Diego, actor (KGB Chicken)
• 1975 - Mathew Gates, Baldock Engld, dance skater (& Chalom-1995 Nat Jr champ)
• 1976 - Sandhya Chib, Miss Universe-India (1996)
• 1977 - Sharon Cripps, Australian 100m/200m (Olympics-96)
• 1977 - Tania Joy Gibson, Lake Barrington Ill, Miss America-Illinois (1997)
• 1993 - Angela & Amy Lakeberg, US Siamese twin (separated on Aug 20th)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 1021 - Notker Labeo, tutor in convent Sankt Gallen, dies
• 1293 - Hendrik van Gent, Flemish neo-Augustian philosopher/theologist, dies
• 1306 - Musho [Hokai], Zen teacher/found subtemple at Jochiji, dies
• 1458 - Mapheus Vegius, [Maffeo Vegio], Italian lawyer/humanist/poet, dies
• 1620 - John Aerts, Flemish sculptor
• 1696 - Michel Lambert, composer, dies
• 1744 - Andr‚ Campra, French priest/composer/conductor (TancrŠde), dies at 83
• 1779 - Anton R Mengs, German writer/neo-classic painter Madrid, dies at 51
• 1784 - Caesar Rodney, US judge/singer (Declar of Independence), dies at 55
• 1790 - Feike H Van de Crew, Fries writer (Mayke Jakkelis), dies
• 1798 - Kaat Mussel [Catharina Mulder], exerciser, dies
• 1818 - Carl P Fohr, German painter/cartoonist, dies at 22
• 1840 - Lucien Bonaparte, prince of Canino/Musignano, dies at 65
• 1852 - Henry Clay, the great compromiser, dies at 75
• 1860 - Thomas Addison, English physician (A-Biermer Disease), dies at 67
• 1861 - Elizabeth Barrett-Browning, writer, dies at 55
• 1875 - Ferdinand I KLJM de Goedige, Emperor of Austria, dies at 82
• 1880 - George W Vreede, lawyer/politician, dies
• 1903 - Rentaro Taki, composer, dies at 23
• 1911 - Oscar Carr‚, circus director, dies at 64
• 1923 - Fritz Mauthner, German author/philosopher (skepticism), dies at 73
• 1923 - Gustave Adolph Kerker, composer, dies at 66
• 1923 - J C Gomez, General/Venezuela's 1st VP, assassinated
• 1933 - Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, US actor (Keystone comedies), dies at 46
• 1940 - Paul Klee, Swiss/German painter/tutor (Modern Art), dies at 60
• 1941 - Ignace Jan Paderewski, Polish statesman pianist, dies in NY at 80
• 1949 - Walter Giffen, cricketer (brother of George, 3 Tests), dies
• 1953 - Jules van Nuffel, composer, dies at 70
• 1955 - Max Pechstein, German painter/graphic artist (Oceania), dies at 73
• 1956 - Johan[nes F] Bakker Jr, actor, dies at 62
• 1959 - A Cecil Snyder, Chief Justice of Puerto Rico, dies at 51
• 1964 - Milenko Zivkovic, composer, dies at 63
• 1965 - Sidney Marion, actor (Outlaws is Coming, Quicksand), dies at 64
• 1966 - Arthur Meulemans, Belgian composer, dies at 82
• 1966 - Isabel Dawn, writer, dies
• 1966 - Ronald Shiner, actor (Aunt Clara, Forbidden, Girls at Sea), dies at 63
• 1967 - Jayne Mansfield, actress (Female Jungle), dies in a car crash at 34
• 1967 - O M Graf, writer, dies at 72
• 1968 - Kitty Kelly, actress (Ladies of Jury, Behind Office Doors), dies at 66
• 1969 - Moise K Tsjombe, premier Congo/Zaire, dies
• 1969 - Shorty Long, soul singer/pianist (Here Comes the Judge), dies at 29
• 1969 - Vesselin Stoyanov, composer, dies at 67
• 1970 - Roman Ingarden, Polish philosopher (Studia philosophica), dies at 77
• 1970 - Stefan Andres, German writer (Wir sind Utopia), dies at 64
• 1971 - Georgi T Dobrovolsky, cosmonaut (Soyuz 11-land accident), dies at 43
• 1971 - Viktor Patsayev, cosmonaut (Soyuz 11-landing accident), dies at 38
• 1971 - Vladimir Volkov, cosmonaut (Soyuz 11-landing accident), dies at 35
• 1975 - Jerry Verno, actor (River of Unrest, Ourselves Alone), dies at 79
• 1976 - Leonora Summers, entertainer, dies
• 1977 - Anton D Hildebrand, children's book writer (Monus), dies at 70
• 1978 - Bob Crane, actor (Hogan's Heroes), murdered at 59
• 1979 - Ben Barnett, cricketer (4 Tests for Australia 1938), dies
• 1979 - Lowell George, rocker (Mothers of Invention, Little Feat), dies at 34
• 1981 - Mohammed Hussein Beheshti, Iran ayatollah/politician, murdered
• 1982 - Gerard[us PM] Knuvelder, literature historian (Anthology), dies
• 1982 - Henry King, director, dies at 86
• 1986 - Ida Mae McKenzie, entertainer, dies
• 1986 - John P East, (Sen-R-NC), dies at 55
• 1986 - Robert Drivas, actor (Our Private World), dies at 47
• 1990 - Irving Wallace, author (Book of Lists, Peoples Almanac), dies at 74
• 1992 - Mohammed Boudiaf, president of Algeria, assassinated at 73
• 1992 - Pierre Billotte, French military man (IIGM), dies
• 1994 - Cameron Mitchell, actor (Man on Tightrope), dies of lung cancer at 76
• 1994 - Kurt Eichhorn, conductor, dies at 85
• 1994 - Ray Crane, trumpeter, dies at 63
• 1995 - Lana Turner, actress (Madame X), dies of cancer at 75
• 1995 - Roy Rowland, film director, dies at 84
• 1996 - Alexander George Ogston, biochemist, dies at 85
• 1996 - Bobby Keetch, footballer/entrepreneur, dies at 54
• 1996 - Pamela Mason, actress (Wild in the Streets), dies at 78
• 1997 - William Hickey, actor (Prizzi's Honor), dies of emphysema at 68