• 1483 - Hendrik van Nassau-Dillenburg en Dietz, gov/viceroy of Holland
• 1492 - Andreas Alicatus, Italian author
• 1562 - Charles Emanuel I, the great, Duke of Savoy
• 1576 - Peter Scriverius, Dutch lawyer/historian
• 1580 - Jean Baptiste van Helmont, Belgian chemist, (found boiling pt temp)
• 1588 - John Winthrop, 1st governor (Mass Bay Colony)
• 1588 - Jose Ribera [Lo Spagnoletto], Spanish painter
• 1599 - Adrian van Utrecht, Flemish painter
• 1638 - Ernst R Tarhemberg, Austrian fieldmarshal (Turkish Wars)
• 1665 - Pierre de Fermat, French lawyer/mathematician
• 1674 - Reinhard Keiser, composer
• 1711 - Gaetano Latilla, composer
• 1715 - Jacques Duphly, composer
• 1729 - Edmund Burke, British author (Philosophy & Inquiry) [OS=Jan 1]
• 1729 - Lazzaro Spallanzani, Modena Italy, physiologist
• 1730 - Johann Joachim Christoph Bode, composer
• 1737 - Brizio Petrucci, composer
• 1737 - John Hancock, patriot (1st to sign Declaration of Independence)
• 1746 - Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, Switzerland, educator [OS]
• 1749 - Ferdinand Trauttmansdorff, Austrian earl/prince/diplomat
• 1751 - Ferdinand I, king of Sicily & Naples
• 1751 - Jacob M R Lenz, writer (Das Leidende Weib)
• 1780 - Wilhelm M L de Wette, German exegetist/theologist
• 1783 - Erik Gustaf Geijer, Swedish historian/poet (Natthimmelen)
• 1792 - Robert Patterson, Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1881
• 1804 - Hippolyte Monpou, composer
• 1807 - Jan T Beelen, Dutch/Belgian bible expert
• 1808 - Paul "the Great" Taglioni, Vienna, ballet choreographer
• 1810 - Ferdinand II, king of Sicily
• 1814 - Jones Mitchell Withers, Mjr General (Confederate Army), died in 1890
• 1819 - Zealous Bates Tower, Bvt Major General (Union Army), died in 1900
• 1821 - Nikolai Afanisev, composer
• 1825 - Joseph Robert Davis, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1896
• 1826 - Charles Cruft, Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1883
• 1832 - Richard Waterhouse Jr, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1876
• 1837 - Adolf Jensen, composer
• 1837 - Carlos Troyer, composer
• 1842 - Fran‡ois Copp‚e, French poet
• 1852 - Joseph J C Joffre, French fieldmarshal (Indo China, Marne)
• 1853 - Gregorio Ricci-Curbastro, Italian mathematician (tensor analysis)
• 1856 - John Singer Sargent, US, portrait painter (Wyndham Sisters)
• 1863 - Vivekananda, Calcutta, Hindu religious leader/reformer
• 1871 - Paul Guthnick, German astronomer
• 1875 - Marika Stiernstedt, Swedish author (Ulla Bella)
• 1876 - Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari, Venice Italy, composer
• 1876 - Ferenc Moln r, writer
• 1876 - Jack London, writer/socialist (Call of the Wild)
• 1878 - Ferenc Molnar, Hungarian/US playwright (A Pal Utrai Fiuk)
• 1882 - Jakob Jud, Swiss linguist/etymologist
• 1884 - Louis Horst, composer
• 1888 - Claude Delvincourt, composer
• 1890 - Mordecai W Johnson, educator
• 1893 - Hermann Goering, propoganda minister (Nazi Germany)
• 1894 - Billy Gilbert, Louisville KY, actor (Paradise Alley, Safari, Rio)
• 1896 - Rex Ingram, Ireland, actor/director (Elmer Gantry, God's Little Acre)
• 1897 - Hendrik J Valk, painter/cartoonist/graphic artist
• 1898 - Jose Forns y Cuadras, composer
• 1899 - Paul H Mller, Swiss chemist (DDT-Nobel 1948)
• 1900 - Vaino Hannikainen, composer
• 1901 - Kurt Jooss, Wrtemburg, Germany, ballet choreographer
• 1902 - Ibn Abdul-Aziz Saud, Kuwait, king (Saudi Arabia)
• 1902 - Ray Teal, Grand Rapids Mich, actor (Sheriff Roy Coffee-Bonanza)
• 1902 - Simon H Spoor, Dutch gen/intelligence officer for Gen MacArthur
• 1903 - Igor V Kurtshatov, Russian nuclear physicist (1st Rus nuclear bomb)
• 1904 - Mississippi Fred McDowell, jazz artist
• 1906 - Henny Youngman, England, comedian (Take my wife please...)
• 1906 - Tex Ritter, Texas, country singer (5 Star Jubilee, Wayward Wind)
• 1907 - Sergei Korolev, scientist
• 1908 - Ben Seijes, Dutch historian (WW II)
• 1908 - Jos‚ Lim¢n, Mexican/US dancer (I, Odysseus)
• 1909 - Mauritz Hugo, Sweden, actor (Atomic Blonde, Road Agent)
• 1910 - Charles Martin, cartoonist
• 1910 - Luise Rainer, Austria, actress (Escapade, Good Earth, Big City)
• 1910 - Patsy Kelly, Bkln, actress (Rosemary's Baby, North Ave Irregulars)
• 1912 - Peter Pooley, broadcaster
• 1914 - Edqard John Gurney, politician
• 1915 - Ernest Armstrong, miner/politician
• 1915 - Frank Annunzio, (Rep-D-IL, 1965- )
• 1915 - Joseph Roy George Ralston, pilot
• 1915 - Martin Agronsky, journalist (1952 Peabody, 1961 DuPont-Columbia)
• 1916 - A P[ieter] W Botha, Orange Free State, president of South Africa
• 1917 - Walter Hendl, West New York NJ, conductor
• 1920 - James Farmer, Marshall, Tex, civil rights leader
• 1921 - John Henry Davis Jr, Smithtown NY, weightlifter (Olym-gold-1948, 52)
• 1921 - Leo Smit, Phila Penn, pianist/composer
• 1924 - Jan Willem Radecker, sculptor/son of John Raedecker
• 1925 - Bill Burrud, Hollywood Calif, host (Safari to Adventure, Animal World)
• 1925 - Laurentiu Profeta, composer
• 1925 - Ralph Legall, cricket wicket-keeper (WI v India 1954)
• 1926 - Morton Feldman, NYC, composer
• 1926 - Ray Price, country singer (Good Times)
• 1927 - Leopold Ahsen, writer
• 1927 - Salvatore Martirano, composer
• 1928 - Lew Gallo, Mt Kisko, actor (12 O'Clock High)
• 1929 - Colin Berry Haycraft, publisher
• 1930 - Glenn Yarborough, singer (Limeliters-Honey & Wine, Jubilee)
• 1930 - Jennifer P Johnston, Irish author (Fool's sanctuary)
• 1932 - Alain Teister, Dutch sculptor/writer
• 1933 - Michael Aspel, British talk show host
• 1934 - Burdette Haldorson, US, basketball player (Olympic-gold-1956, 60)
• 1935 - "Amazing" Kreskin, Montclair NJ, mentalist/telepath
• 1935 - Ron Harper, Turtle Creek Pa, actor (Wendy & Me, Planet of the Apes)
• 1935 - William Lee Gloden, Brewton Al, country singer (Oak Ridge Boys)
• 1937 - Liliana Cavani, Bologna Italy, director (Berlin Affair)
• 1937 - Marie Dubois, Paris France, actress (Wise Guys, Jules & Jim)
• 1939 - Helmut Eisendle, writer
• 1939 - Jacobus M "Jacques" Hamelink, Dutch writer/poet (Cold Unrest)
• 1940 - Dick Motz, cricketer (1st NZer to take 100 Test wickets)
• 1941 - Jaime B Fuster, (Rep-D-PR, 1985- )
• 1941 - Long John Baldry, England, blues vocalist (Don't try to Lay No Boogie)
• 1942 - Vladimir Sergeyevich Kozelsky, cosmonaut (Soyuz 24 backup)
• 1943 - Henri J "Adriaan" Adriaansen, mime/director (Stinging Nettle King)
• 1943 - Ray Manzarek, rock keyboardist (Doors-People are Strange)
• 1944 - Joe Frazier, Beaufort SC, HW boxer (Olympic-gold-1964)/champ (1968-73)
• 1944 - Vlastimil Hort, Czech/German chess player
• 1945 - Maggie Bell, Glasgow Scotland, rocker
• 1946 - Cynthia Robinson, rock trumpeteer (Sly & Family Stone-Everyday People)
• 1946 - George Duke, San Rafael Ca, rocker
• 1947 - Tom Dempsey, NFL record-holder (longest field goal, 63 yards)
• 1948 - Anthony Andrews, London England, actor (Under the Volcano)
• 1949 - James W Dietz, rower
• 1949 - Wayne Wang, director (Chan is Missing, Slamdance)
• 1950 - Bob McEwen, (Rep-R-OH, 1981- )
• 1950 - Marilyn R Smith, microbiologist
• 1951 - Bill Madlock, 4X NL batting champ (Chicago Cubs)
• 1951 - Chris Bell, Memphis Tn, rock guitarist (Big Star)
• 1951 - Drew Pearson, former NFL all-pro receiver
• 1951 - Kirstie Alley, Wichita Ks, actress (Star Trek II, Cheers-Rebecca)
• 1951 - Larry Hoppens, rocker (Orleans-Still the One, Dance With Me)
• 1951 - Rush Limbaugh, Girardeau Mo, extreme right radio personality
• 1952 - Ricky Van Shelton, country musician
• 1954 - Howard Stern, Roosevelt NY, "Radio's Bad Boy" (WKRK, WYSP, WJFK)
• 1955 - Patty Hayes, LPGA golfer
• 1959 - Per Helmstad Gessle, Sweden, singer (Roxette-Must Have Been Love)
• 1960 - Dominique Wilkins, NBA forward (Atlanta Hawks)
• 1960 - Rob Derksen, Australian baseball head coach (Olympics-1996)
• 1961 - Andrea Carnevale, soccer player (Napoli)
• 1962 - Richie Richardson, cricketer (elegant West Indian batsman 1983-95)
• 1964 - Laura Gildemeister, Argentina, tennis star
• 1964 - Lynne Marie Thurik, Vancouver Wash, Miss Washington-America (1991)
• 1965 - Henry Thomas, defensive tackle (Detroit Lions, New England Patriots)
• 1965 - John Francis, model
• 1965 - Mark Moore, rocker (S'Express-Winter Course)
• 1966 - Craig Parry, Sunshine VIC, Australasia golfer
• 1966 - Linda Ferrando, Italy, tennis star
• 1967 - Farrah Forke, Texas, actress (Dweebs, Mr Rhodes, Disclosure, Heat)
• 1967 - Marco Boogers, Dutch soccer player (RKC, Sparta, West Ham United)
• 1967 - Mike Simms, Whittier CA, outfielder (Houston Astros)
• 1967 - Ulf Dahlen, Ostersund SWE, NHL forward (Team Sweden, San Jose)
• 1967 - Vendela [Kirsebom], Stockholm Sweden, model (Sports Illustrated 1993)
• 1968 - Heather Mills, Aldershot England, model/writer (Out on a Limb)
• 1968 - Vince Buck, NFL safety (NO Saints)
• 1969 - Cam Russell, Halifax, NHL defenseman (Chicago Blackhawks)
• 1970 - Jenny Griffith, Burbank Calif, WPVA volleyballer (National-13th-1995)
• 1970 - Nigel Wilson, Canadian/US baseball outfielder (Florida Marlins)
• 1970 - Takahiro Ikenoue, WLAF defensive linebacker (Rhein Fire)
• 1971 - Andy Fox, Sacramento CA, infielder (NY Yankees)
• 1971 - Oscar Sturgis, NFL defensive end (Dallas Cowboys)
• 1971 - Scott Burrell, NBA guard/forward (Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets)
• 1971 - Shane Dronett, NFL defensive end (Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos)
• 1972 - Dominique Ross, NFL running back (Dallas Cowboys)
• 1973 - Greg Morton, Milwaukee Wisc, actor (Scarecrow & Mrs King)
• 1974 - Melanie Jayne Chisholm, "Sporty Spice", Widnes, vocalist (Spice Girls)
• 1975 - Chase Hampton, Okla City Okla, rocker (Party-Rodeo, That's Why)
• 1975 - Jocelyn Thibault, Montreal, NHL goalie (Montreal Canadiens)
• 1977 - Sara Walsh, South Bend In, fencer-foil (Olympics-96)
• 1979 - Jenny Schmidgall, ice hockey forward (USA, Oly-98)
• 1987 - Andrew Lawrence, Phila, actor (Andy Roman-Brotherly Love)
• 1987 - Naya Rivera, actress (Cindy-Fresh Prince of Bel Air)
• 1996 - Sarah Morales, Mexico, Siamese twin (survived)
• 1996 - Sarahi Morales, Mexico, Siamese twin (died on Jan 27, 1996)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0689 - Benedict Biscop, English saint, dies
• 1049 - Abu Sa'id ibn Aboa al-Chair, Persian mystic, dies at 81
• 1167 - Aelred of Hexham/Rievaulx, English abbot/saint, dies at about 56
• 1390 - Peter van Herenthals, Dutch theologist/church historian, dies at 67
• 1517 - Vasco N£¤ez de Balboa, Spanish conquistador/admiral, beheaded at 41
• 1519 - Maximilian I of Hapsburg, German kaiser, dies
• 1537 - Lorenzo di Credi, Italian painter, dies
• 1665 - Pierre de Fermat, Fr lawyer/mathematician (principle of F), dies at 63
• 1674 - Giacomo Carissimi, Italian bandmaster/composer (Jephta), dies at 68
• 1759 - Anne of Hannover, English princess, dies at 49
• 1765 - Johann Melchior Molter, composer, dies at 68
• 1807 - Adriaan Kluit, Dutch historian, dies at 71
• 1807 - Joan Lucaz, Dutch scholar/journalist/patriot, dies at 60
• 1829 - Friedrich von Schlegel, German cultural philosopher/poet, dies at 56
• 1829 - Michael Gottard Fischer, composer, dies at 55
• 1833 - Marie-Antoine CarŠme, author (Pattissier Royal Parisien), dies at 48
• 1839 - Joseph A Koch, Aust painter/cartoonist/etcher/illustrator, dies at 70
• 1851 - Johan Herman Koekkoek, painter, dies at 72
• 1856 - L'udov”t St£r, Slovaaks author/linguistic (Das Slawentum), dies at 40
• 1860 - Martinus J Niewindt, bishop on Cura‡ao (christened slaves), dies at 63
• 1861 - V clav Hanka, Czech author/translator/forger, dies at 69
• 1867 - Victor Cousin, French philosopher/minister of Education, dies at 74
• 1880 - Ida Gr„fin von Hahn-Hahn, author (Aus der Gesellschaft), dies at 74
• 1925 - Oskar Brefeld, German botanist, dies at 85
• 1928 - Ruth Snyder, 1st woman to die in electric chair
• 1929 - Dietrich Sch„fer, German historian (Mein Leben), dies at 83
• 1933 - Vaclav Suk, composer, dies at 71
• 1940 - Erich R Jaensch, German psychologist (eidetiek), dies at 56
• 1942 - George Francis, cricketer (WI Test fast-bowler, 23 wkts in 10), dies
• 1943 - Jan R T Campert, Dutch resistance fighter/poet (18 Dead), dies at 40
• 1947 - Jonas Cohn, German/English philosopher (Wertwissenschaft), dies at 77
• 1950 - Koos van de Griend, composer, dies at 44
• 1953 - Simeon Roncal, composer, dies at 82
• 1956 - John Raedecker, Dutch sculptor (WW II Monument Amsterdam), dies at 70
• 1956 - Norman Kerry, actor (Air Eagles, Phantom of Opera), dies at 61
• 1958 - Arthur Shepherd, composer, dies at 77
• 1960 - Nevil Shute [Norway], Eng/Aust author (Town like Alice), dies at 60
• 1962 - Ernie Kovacs, comedian (Ernie Kovacs Show), killed in auto crash at 42
• 1962 - Richard de Guide, composer, dies at 52
• 1964 - C R Browne, cricket leg-spinner (WI in 4 Tests, 6 wkts), dies
• 1965 - Lorraine Hansberry, US playwright, dies in NYC, dies at 34
• 1965 - Porcupine, in Washington DC zoo, dies at 27; oldest known rodent
• 1970 - Blanche Stuart Scott, US pilot, dies at 84
• 1972 - Padraic Colum, Irish poet/writer/founder (Irish Review), dies at 90
• 1975 - Caryn Campbell, Bundy victim, disappears from Snowmass, Colo
• 1976 - Agatha Christie, mystery writer (10 Little Indians), dies at 85
• 1977 - Henri-Georges Clouzot, director (Diabolique, Truth), dies at 69
• 1978 - Nancy Spungen, stabbed to death by boyfriend Sid Vicious
• 1980 - Hans Ebeling, cricketer (Vict stalwart, bowled for Aust 1934), dies
• 1981 - Beulah Bondi, actress (It's a Wonderful Life), dies at 89
• 1981 - Isobel Elsom, actress (Unseen, Jane Eyre, Illegal), dies at 87
• 1986 - Marcel Arland, French author (L'ordre, LumiŠre du Soir), dies at 86
• 1990 - Laurence J Peter, author (Peter Princible), dies of a stroke at 70
• 1990 - Paul Amadeus Pisk, composer, dies at 96
• 1991 - Keye Luke, actor (Charlie Chan's No 1 Son), dies after a stroke at 86
• 1991 - Vasco Pratolini, Italy, writer (Ragazze di San Frediano), dies at 77
• 1992 - Harry van Doorn, Dutch MP (KVP/KRO-chairman/PPR/CRM), dies at 76
• 1992 - Walt Morey, US children's book writer (Gentle Ben), dies at 84
• 1993 - Carles Mira, Spanish director (Que Nos Quiten Lo Bailao), dies at 45
• 1994 - Bob Horen, dies of cancer at 67
• 1994 - Samuel Bronston, Romanian/US producer (El Cid), dies at 85
• 1995 - Francis Lopez, songwriter, dies at 77
• 1995 - George Price, cartoonist (New Yorker), dies at 93
• 1995 - Marion Herbst, German/Dutch jewelry designer, dies at 50
• 1996 - Edmund Happold, engineer, dies at 65
• 1996 - John Howard Purnell, scientist, dies at 70
• 1996 - Peggy Braithwaite, lighthouse-keeper, dies at 76
• 1997 - Charles Huggins, surgeon/medical researcher, dies at 95
• 1997 - Jean Writer-Edern Hallier, dies at 60
• 1997 - Jill Summers, actress (Agatha Coronation Street), dies at 86