• 1487 - Esma'il I, shah who converted Iran from Sunni to Shi'ah
• 1674 - Isaac Watts, England, writer/preacher/hymnist (Horae Lyrican)
• 1702 - Johann Schneider, composer
• 1744 - Elbridge Gerry, (DR) 5th VP (Mass-Gov), invented gerrymandering
• 1763 - Johannes H van der Palm, Dutch theologist/minister of Education
• 1763 - John Jacob Astor, Germany, richest man in US, banker/fur trader
• 1775 - August Harder, composer
• 1817 - Ignace Xavier Joseph Leybach, composer
• 1827 - Frederick A Able, English chemist/inventor (cordiet)
• 1830 - Eelco Refer, linguist (Dictionary for the Dutch translator)
• 1832 - Johan August Soderman, composer
• 1839 - Friedrich Gernsheim, composer
• 1853 - Francesco Fanciulli, composer
• 1859 - Luis Mu¤oz Rivera, Puerto Rico, journalist (founded Federalist Party)
• 1871 - Lyonel C A Feininger, US cartoonist/painter
• 1873 - Antonina Neshdanova, Russian soprano (Rigoletto)
• 1875 - Donald Francis Tovey, Eton England, musicologist/composer
• 1876 - Maxim M Litvinov, [Meyer H Wallach], Russian diplomat
• 1876 - Rosa Jackson Lumpkin, Georgia, lived to be 115 (died in 1991)
• 1876 - Vittorio Gnecchi, composer
• 1878 - Henri Zagwijn, composer
• 1883 - Bart de Ligt, anti militarist theologist (Acting Peace)
• 1883 - Mauritz Stiller, Swedish actor/director (Erotikon)
• 1885 - Benjamin James Dale, composer
• 1888 - Shmuel Agnon, Israel, novelist (Day Before Yesterday-Nobel 1966)
• 1889 - Erle Stanley Gardner, US detective writer (Perry Mason)
• 1894 - Mary Clare, London England, actress (Evil Mind, Young & Innocent)
• 1897 - Elbert Parr Tuttle, lawyer/judge
• 1898 - Berenice Abbott, Springfield Oh, photographer (World of Atget)
• 1900 - James Cagney, actor (Yankee Doodle Dandy), hold that grapefruit
• 1902 - Christina Stead, Australia, novelist (Man Who Loved Children)
• 1903 - Valerian Mikhaylovich Bogdanov-Berezovsky, composer
• 1904 - Jef Alpaerts, Flemish pianist/conductor
• 1905 - Norman Waterhouse Lees, jazz fan
• 1905 - William Gargan, Bkln NY, actor (Dynamite, Ellery Queen)
• 1906 - John Carroll, [Julian LaFaye], New Orleans LA, actor (Wolf Call)
• 1908 - Rudolf Petzold, composer
• 1909 - Hardy Amies, London England, royal dressmaker (Queen Elizabeth II)
• 1912 - Art Linkletter, Saskatchewan Canada, TV host (People are Funny)
• 1912 - Pal Kov cs, Hungary, sabres (Olympic-gold-1952)
• 1913 - Everett Helm, composer
• 1913 - Roger Garaudy, French philosopher
• 1914 - Lucille Benson, Scottsboro Ala, actress (Lilly-Bosom Buddies)
• 1915 - Cass Daley, Philadelphia PA, actress (Red Garters)
• 1915 - Dorothy Poynton-Hill, US, platform diver (Olympic-gold-1932)
• 1915 - Esther Williamson Ballou, composer
• 1916 - Eleanor Steber, Wheeling WV, soprano (Metropolitan Opera-1940)
• 1917 - Lou Bourdeau, baseball player/manager (1948 AP Athlete of Year)
• 1917 - Phyllis Diller, Lima Ohio, comedienne (Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number)
• 1919 - Alex Moir, cricketer (New Zealand leg-spinner in 17 Tests 1950-59)
• 1920 - Bill Monroe, New Orleans La, newscaster (NBC-TV, Congressional Report)
• 1920 - Helen Walker, Worcester MA, actress (Brewster's Million)
• 1920 - Juan Antonio Samaranch, chairman (International Olympic Committee)
• 1920 - Rudolf Karpati, Hungary, sabres (Olympic-gold-1956, 60)
• 1921 - Acquanetta, [Mildred Davenport], Wyo, actress (Tarzan & Leopard Woman)
• 1921 - George Barnes, Chicago Hgts, guitarist (Skip Farrell Show)
• 1922 - Donald Alfred Davie, poet/critic
• 1928 - Jean Elizabeth Leuckert Muir, designer dressmaker
• 1930 - Ryohei Hirose, composer
• 1932 - Niccolo Castiglioni, composer
• 1932 - Vince Guaraldi, jazz pianist (Charlie Brown TV specials)
• 1932 - Wojciech Kilar, composer
• 1933 - Tony Pithey, cricketer (brother of David, S African batsman in 17 Tests)
• 1934 - Donald Sutherland, St John NB, actor (M*A*S*H, Body Snatchers)
• 1934 - Pat McCormick, comedian (Don Rickles Show, New Bill Cosby Show)
• 1934 - Philippe Capdenat, composer
• 1934 - Rainer Kisch, writer
• 1935 - Diahann Carroll, Bronx, actress (Julia, Claudine, Dominique-Dynasty)
• 1935 - P D Q Bach, [Peter Schickele], Iowa, composer (5th of Beethoven)
• 1937 - Jose Ignacio Cabrujas, writer
• 1938 - Stan Bronstein, rocker
• 1939 - Spencer Davis, Wales, vocalist (Spencer Davis Group-Gimme Some Lovin)
• 1939 - Warwick Hutton, artist
• 1940 - Phyllis Davis, Port Arthur Tx, actress (Love American Style, Vega$)
• 1941 - Bob Taylor, cricketer wicket-keeper (too often in Knotty's shadow)
• 1941 - Daryle Lamonica, Oakland Raider QB (AFL leading passer 1967)
• 1942 - Connie Hawkins, Harlem Globetrotter/NBA (Phoenix Suns, ABA MVP 1968)
• 1942 - Gale Garnett, Auckland NZ, singer (We'll Sing in the Sunshine)
• 1942 - Spencer Davis, rocker (Spencer Davis Group)
• 1944 - Mark Burgess, cricketer (NZ batsman of the 70's)
• 1945 - Fenneken Fockema Andreae, Dutch actress (Sea Gull)
• 1947 - Camilla Parker-Bowles, London England, Prince Charles' lover
• 1948 - Brian Glascock, rock drummer (Motels-Only the Lonely)
• 1948 - Cathy Ferguson, 100m backstroke swimmer (Olympic-gold-1964)
• 1948 - Luc Bondy, Zurich Switzerland
• 1948 - Phillip Harris, rocker
• 1949 - Bill Ward, rocker
• 1949 - Geezer Butler, Birmingham, rocker (Black Sabbath)
• 1949 - Mick Tucker, London, rock drummer (Sweet Harlesden)
• 1949 - Mike Vale, rock bassist (Tommy James & The Shondells)
• 1949 - Terry "Geezer" Butler, Birmingham, rock bassist (Black Sabbath)
• 1951 - Lucie Arnaz, LA Calif, actress (Kim-Here's Lucy, Jazz Singer)
• 1952 - Chet McCracken, Seattle Wash, rocker (Doobie Brothers)
• 1952 - David Hasselhoff, Balt Md, actor (Night Rider, Mitch-Baywatch)
• 1952 - Nicolette Larson, KC MO, rock vocalist (Twins, Lotta Love)
• 1952 - Phoebe Snow, singer (Theme from "It's a Different World")
• 1952 - Robert R[ick] McCammon, US, sci-fi author (Baal, Mystery Walk)
• 1952 - Th‚ Lau, Dutch singer/guitarist/composer (The Scene, Row Row Row)
• 1956 - Bryan Trottier, Val Marie Sask, NHL Center (NY Islanders)
• 1957 - Bruce Crump, rock drummer (Molly Hatchet)
• 1958 - Belinda Carlisle, LA Calif, rock vocalist (Go-Go's-Vacation)
• 1959 - Janet Lynn Kavandi, Springfield Mo, PhD/astronaut (sk:STS 91)
• 1960 - Jan Wouters, Dutch soccer star (Ajax, Bayern Munich, PSV)
• 1960 - Karen Elaine Price, Pasadena Calif, playmate (January, 1981)
• 1960 - Kim Barnett, cricketer (England batsman & occasional leggie 1988-89)
• 1960 - Nancy Giles, NYC, actress (Connie-Delta, Off Beat, Big, Angie)
• 1960 - Robin Shou, martial arts actor (Mortal Kombat, Beverly Hills Ninja)
• 1960 - Scott Norwood, NFL kicker (Buffalo Bills-Superbowl XXV goat)
• 1962 - Jay Barrs, Jacksonville Fla, archer (Olympics-gold-1988, 92, 96)
• 1963 - Denise Miller, Bkln NY, actress (Billie-Archie Bunker's Place)
• 1963 - Matti Nyk„nen, Finnish ski jumper (Olympic-gold-1984, 88)
• 1964 - Heather Langenkamp, actress (Marie-Just the 10 of Us)
• 1965 - Alex Winter, London England, actor (Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure)
• 1965 - Ken Evraire, CFL slot back (Hamilton Tiger Cats)
• 1966 - Michael John Bradley, Largo FL, PGA golfer (1993 Kemper Open-3rd)
• 1967 - Kevin Pritchard, NBA guard (Washington Bullets)
• 1967 - Pearl Sinn, Seoul Korea, LPGA golfer (1995 LPGA Corning Classic-35th)
• 1969 - Tommy Soderstrom, Stockholm SWE, NHL goalie (Sweden, NY Islanders)
• 1970 - Bronwyn Roye, Australian rower (Olympics-96)
• 1970 - Mandy Smith, England, rocker (I Just Can't Wait)/wife of Bill Wyman
• 1971 - Calbert Cheaney, NBA forward/guard (Washington Bullets/Wizards)
• 1971 - Daniel Kunce, Sumperk GER, hockey defenseman (Team Germany 1998)
• 1972 - Donny Marshall, NBA forward (Cleveland Cavaliers)
• 1972 - Eric Williams, NBA forward (Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics)
• 1972 - Melissa "Missy" Schwen, Bloomington Ind, rower (Olympics-silver-96)
• 1972 - Michael Lampert, hockey defenseman (Team Austria 1998)
• 1973 - Horacio Llamas, NBA center (Phoenix Suns)
• 1975 - Troy Amos Ross, Georgetown Guyana, Canadian boxer (Olympics-96)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0924 - Edward, the Older, English speaking king (899-924), dies
• 1025 - Boleslaw I Chobry, [the brave], duke/king of Poland, dies
• 1070 - Boudouin VI, count of Flanders/Henegouwen, dies
• 1345 - Jacob Van Artevelde, [Manner Man], Flemish broker, lynched
• 1510 - Edmund Dudley, English minister of Justice/Finance, dies
• 1510 - Tree of Commonwealth, beheaded at about 48
• 1627 - Lieven de Key, Flemish master builder (Vleeshal), dies at about 67
• 1682 - Johann Heinrich Kittel, composer, dies at 29
• 1709 - Pascal Collasse, composer, dies at 60
• 1746 - Anthonie van de Heim, Dutch pension advisor (1737-46), dies at 53
• 1753 - Andr‚-Joseph Panckoucke, French book publisher/merchant, dies
• 1762 - Peter III Fjodorovitsj, Emperor of Russia (1762), dies at 34
• 1763 - Wenzel Raimund Pirck, composer, dies at 45
• 1764 - Johann Mattheson, German composer, dies at 82
• 1793 - Charlotte Corday, murderer (Jean-Paul Marat), is guillotined
• 1794 - Jean-Frederic Edelmann, composer, dies at 45
• 1826 - Joseph Graetz, composer, dies at 65
• 1838 - John Whites, hydraulic engineer, dies at 82
• 1851 - Beni Egressy, composer, dies at 37
• 1863 - James Johnston Pettigrew, US attorney/Confederate, dies at 35
• 1864 - Daniel McCook Jr, US Union-brig-gen, dies at 29
• 1864 - Dirk Dark Curtius, attorney/liberal minister of Justice, dies at 71
• 1871 - Karl Tausig, composer, dies at 29
• 1875 - Gabor Matray, composer, dies at 77
• 1878 - Aleardo [Gaetano] Aleardi, Italian/Aust poet (Tre Fiumi), dies at 65
• 1901 - John Farmer, composer, dies at 64
• 1903 - James A McNeill Whistler, US/Brit writer (Bride Tomorrow), dies at 69
• 1912 - J-Henri Poincar‚, French mine engineer/mathematician, dies at 58
• 1915 - Francesco Fanciulli, composer, dies on 62nd birthday
• 1918 - Aleksei N Romanov, son of tsar Nicolas II, executed at 13
• 1918 - Alexandra Fjodorova, wife of tsar Nicolas II, shot to death at 46
• 1918 - Anastasia N Romanova, daughter of tsar Nicholas, executed at 17
• 1918 - Botkin, personal physician of tsar Nicolas II, shot to death
• 1918 - Charitonov, cook of tsar Nicolas II, shot to death
• 1918 - Demidova, lady in waiting of tsar Nicolas II, shot to death
• 1918 - Maria Romanova, daughter of tsar Nicolas II, shot to death
• 1918 - Nicolas II Aleksandrovitch, last tsar of Russia, executed at 50
• 1918 - Olga Romanova, daughter of tsar Nicolas II, shot to death
• 1918 - Tatyana Romanova, daughter of tsar Nicolas II, shot to death
• 1918 - Trupp, lackey of tsar Nicolas II, shot to death
• 1922 - Heinrich Rubens, German physicist, dies at 57
• 1928 - Alvaro Obregon, general/pres of Mexico, assassinated
• 1928 - Giovanni Giolitti, 5x premier of Italy (1892..1921), dies
• 1937 - Henri-Constant-Gabriel Pierne, composer, dies at 73
• 1944 - Hugh Rigby, English portrait painter (King George V 1928-32), dies
• 1946 - Dragoljub "Draza" Mihailovic, Yugoslav gen (Nazi), executed at 53
• 1947 - Raoul Wallenberg, Swedish diplomat in WW II (saved Jews), dies at 34
• 1953 - Bernhard van den Sigtenhorst Meyer, composer, dies at 65
• 1953 - Maude K Adams, US actress (Little Minister), dies
• 1954 - Dirk B Nanninga, painter, dies at 85
• 1955 - Bronislaw Zygmunt Szulc, composer, dies at 73
• 1957 - John Coltrane, rocker, dies of cancer at 30
• 1959 - Billie Holiday, jazz singer, dies of drug OD at 44
• 1959 - Ernest Bloch, Swiss/US composer (Macbeth), dies at 78
• 1959 - Henri Pourrat, French writer (Le chasseur de la nuit), dies
• 1961 - Ty Cobb, baseball great (Det Tigers), dies of cancer at 74
• 1965 - Luiz Cosme, composer, dies at 57
• 1966 - August Baeyens, Flemish composer (Piranesi-suite), dies at 71
• 1967 - Cyril Ring, actor (Duffy's Tavern, Red Hot & Blue), dies at 74
• 1967 - Gertrude McCoy, silent screen actress (Blue Bird), dies at 77
• 1967 - John Coltrane, US jazz sax/composer (Round Midnight), dies at 40
• 1970 - Juano Hernandez, actor (St Louis Blues, Two Loves), dies at 74
• 1971 - Cliff Edwards, "Ukulele Ike", singer (54th Street Revue), dies at 76
• 1974 - Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean, pitcher (St Louis Cards), dies at 63
• 1975 - Modoc, the elephant, dies at age 78 (oldest known nonhuman mammal)
• 1978 - Thayer David, actor (Rocky, Roots, Savages), dies at 51
• 1979 - Doug Meintjes, S Afr cricket pace bowler (v England 1922-23), dies
• 1980 - Donald Barry, actor (Mr Gallo-Mr Novak), dies at 68
• 1984 - J Delos Jewkes, singer/actor (Stars & Stripes Forever), dies at 89
• 1985 - Czeslaw Josef Marek, composer, dies at 93
• 1985 - Margo, actress (Rumba, Viva Zapata), dies at 68 of a brain tumor
• 1988 - Bruiser Brody, wrestler, stabbed to death
• 1990 - Bernard Cowan, TV announcer, dies of kidney disease at 68
• 1993 - Ineke Shutter, choreography (Black Girl Goes to School), dies at 61
• 1993 - Scott Salmon, US choreographer (La Cage aux Folles), dies at 51
• 1993 - Vladimir Barmyn, Russian inventor (Stalinorgel), dies at 84
• 1994 - Jean Borotra, [Flying Basque], Fr tennis star (Davis Cup), dies at 95
• 1994 - S‚bastian Piana, Argentine pianist/tango composer, dies at 91
• 1995 - Herbert Hippauf, baseball player, dies at 56
• 1995 - Joe Hutton, northumbrian piper/shepherd, dies at 71
• 1996 - Alan McGilvray, cricket commentator, dies at 85
• 1996 - Amancio D'Silva, musician, dies at 60
• 1996 - Bryan Chas Chandler, musician/manager, dies at 57
• 1996 - Chris Komar, dancer, dies at 48
• 1996 - Geoffrey Alan Jellicoe, landscape architect, dies at 95
• 1996 - John William Fozard, aircraft designer, dies at 68
• 1996 - Paul Touvier, French WW II criminal, dies at 81
• 1996 - Sid Sussman, beauty pageant organizer, dies of heart attack