• 1562 - Philipp Dulichius, composer
• 1569 - Jakob Hassler, composer
• 1610 - Charles Du Fresne Du Cange, French scholar/philologist
• 1633 - Adriaen Melar, Flemish engraver, baptised
• 1633 - Willem van de Velde the Young, Dutch seascape painter, baptised
• 1635 - Antonius Matthaeus, Dutch lawyer/historian
• 1667 - Wenzel Ludwig von Radolt, composer
• 1707 - Charles Wesley, co-founder (Methodist movement)
• 1709 - Elizabeth, empress of Russia (to Peter the Great & Catherine I)
• 1734 - Jean-Baptiste Rey, composer
• 1760 - Knud L Rahbek, Danish literary (Om sku skuespillerkunsten)
• 1779 - Joseph Grimaldi, England, pantomimist ("greatest clown in history")
• 1786 - Carl Maria von Weber, Germany, romantic composer (Der Freischutz)
• 1788 - Camille Pleyel, Austria, piano builder/composer
• 1803 - William Allen, (Rep/Gov-Oh)
• 1811 - Alexander Sandor Asboth, Bvt Mjr Gen (Union volunteers), died in 1868
• 1812 - Wiktor Kazynski, composer
• 1816 - Alfred Elzey Jones, Major General (Confederate Army), died in 1871
• 1819 - Jakov P Polonski, Russian poet (Stichotvorenija)
• 1825 - Charles Griffin, Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1867
• 1826 - Charles-A Chatrian, [Erckmann-C], French writer (L'ami Fritz)
• 1826 - Mercer Brooke John, (Confederate Navy), died in 1906
• 1835 - George Dashiell Bayard, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1862
• 1837 - A Adolf Daens, Belgian priest/Dutch party founder (CVP)
• 1844 - Lujo [Ludwig J von] Brentano, German economist
• 1848 - Karl Schroder, composer
• 1852 - Gaetano Coronaro, composer
• 1856 - Joseph John Thomson, Eng, physicist discovered electron (Nobel 1906)
• 1860 - Edward Alexander MacDowell, US, composer (Indian Suite)
• 1861 - Lionel Monckton, composer
• 1863 - French Ferdinand, archduke of Austria (Sarajevo/WW I)
• 1867 - Antoon van Welie, Dutch painter
• 1870 - Andres Randolf, Denmark, actor (The Kiss)
• 1870 - D T Suzuki, Kanazawa Japan, Zen Buddhist scholar
• 1870 - Saki, [Hector Hugo Munro], Burma, author (Reginald, When William Came)
• 1873 - Adolf Vogl, composer
• 1877 - Max Pallenberg, Austria, actor (Brave Suender)/husb of Fritzi Massary
• 1879 - Paul Klee, Switzerland, abstract painter (Twittering Machine) [NS]
• 1884 - Philippe van Isacker, Belgian minister
• 1886 - Ty Cobb, Colo, batted .367, stole 892 bases (Det Tigers)
• 1888 - Gladys Cooper, Lewisham England, actress (My Fair Lady)
• 1888 - Robert Moses, power broker (built Long Island & NYC parks & roads)
• 1890 - Edwin Howard Armstrong, NYC, radio pioneer inventor (FM)
• 1897 - Fernand J Collin, Belgian economist/banker
• 1898 - Jacob Kruijt, Dutch sociologist
• 1904 - George Stevens, US director (Alice Adams, Penny Serenade)
• 1904 - Wilf Carter, country singer
• 1905 - Richard Sturzenegger, composer
• 1906 - Edwin H "Buddy" Morris, music publisher
• 1906 - Kam Tong, actor (Across the Pacific, Flower Drum Song)
• 1907 - Christopher Fry, Bristol England, playwright (Ring Around the Moon)
• 1908 - Celia Johnson, England, actress (Happy Breed, Brief encounter)
• 1909 - Mona Barrie, [Smith], London England, actress (Dawn on Great Divide)
• 1910 - Abe Burrows, Bkln NY, Broadway composer (Guys & Dolls 1951 TONY)
• 1910 - Eric Tindall, cricketer (All Black rep who kept wicket in 5 Tests)
• 1911 - Helen Vlachos, journalist
• 1911 - Jules Dassin, Middletown CT, director (Circle of Two, Never on Sunday)
• 1913 - Alfred Bester, US, science fiction author (Decievers, Starlight)
• 1913 - Donald Phillips, pianist/composer
• 1913 - Lynn Bari, Roanoke Va, actress (Connie-Detective Wife, Earthbound)
• 1913 - Saburo Takata, composer
• 1913 - Willy Brandt, [Herbert Frahm], German chancellor (1969-74, Nobel 1971)
• 1914 - Jerry Zipkin, socialite
• 1915 - Dario Mangiarotti, Italy, fencing, gold, 2 silver (Olympic-1948, 52)
• 1916 - Betty Grable, St Louis, great legs/actress (Gay Divorcee)
• 1917 - Ossie Davis, Cogdell GA, actor/playwright (Hot Stuff, Man Called Adam)
• 1919 - Anita O'Day, Chicago, big band jazz singer (Gene Krupa, Stan Kanton)
• 1920 - Rita Streich, German singer
• 1920 - Willis Conover, broadcaster
• 1922 - Larry D Mann, Toronto Canada, actor (Marty-Accidental Family)
• 1923 - Lotti [Charlotte] van der Gaag, Dutch sculptor/painter
• 1926 - Peggy Cummins, North Wales, actress (Curse of the Demon)
• 1927 - Ramsey Clark, US attorney General (1967-69)
• 1927 - Sterling Lanier, US, writer (Hiero's Journey)
• 1931 - Gunnel Lindblom, Goeteborg Sweden, actor (Hunger, Virgin Spring)
• 1931 - Noel McGregor, cricketer (batted in 25 Tests for NZ 1955-65)
• 1932 - Roger Smith, South Gate Calif, actor (77 Sunset Strip)
• 1934 - Boris Valentinovich Volynov, USSR, cosmonaut (Soyuz 5, 21)
• 1938 - [Bryan] Chas Chandler, rocker (The Animals-House of the Rising Sun)
• 1939 - Christoffel "Stoffel" van de Merwe, S Afr minister of Education
• 1939 - Henrica M L "Wiesje" Backer, Dutch dancer/actress/playwright
• 1939 - Michael J Moorcock, England, sci-fi author (Alien Heat, Bull & Spear)
• 1939 - Sandro Lopopolia, Italy, lightweight boxer (Olympic-Silver-1960)
• 1940 - Arnold Long, cricketer (prolific wicketkeeper for Surrey & Sussex)
• 1941 - Sam Andrew, rocker (Big Brother & Holding Company-Cheap Thrills)
• 1942 - William HAF, English prince/grandson of George V
• 1943 - Alan Rudolph, actor (Endangers Species, Love at Large, Made in Heaven)
• 1943 - Bobby Keyes, rocker
• 1943 - Keith Richards, England, rock guitarist (Rolling Stones-Brown Sugar)
• 1945 - Birenda Bir Bikram, King of Nepal (1972- )
• 1945 - Carolyn Wood, US, 4 X 100m freestyle swimmer (Olympic-gold-1960)
• 1946 - Hubie Green, Birmingham Ala, PGA golfer (US Open 1977)
• 1946 - Stephen (Steve) Biko, South African anti-apartheid activist
• 1947 - Eddie Antar, founder/CEO (Crazy Eddie Electronics Store)
• 1947 - Steven Spielberg, Cincinnati, director (ET, Close Encounters, Jaws)
• 1948 - Bryan "Chas" Changler, Newcastle, rock bassist (Animals)
• 1949 - Joni Flynn, Assam India, actress (Octopussy)
• 1950 - Gillian Armstrong, Melbourne Aust, director (High Tide, Mrs Soffel)
• 1950 - Leonard Maltin, NYC, movie critic (Entertainment Tonight)
• 1950 - Martha Johnson, Toronto Canada, rocker (M+M)
• 1951 - Andrew S Thomas, Adelaide Australia, PhD/astronaut (STS 77, STS 89/91)
• 1951 - Candice Rialson, Santa Monica Calif, actress (Chatterbox)
• 1953 - Elliot Easton, [Elliot Shapiro], Brooklyn NY, rock guitarist (Cars)
• 1954 - Ray Liotta, Newark NJ, actor (Sacha-Casablanca, Goodfellas)
• 1956 - Reinhold Ewald, Germany, cosmonaut (Soyuz TM-25)
• 1957 - John Webster, rocker (Red Ryder-Light in the Tunnel)
• 1959 - Barrie Chase, actress (Mardi Gras, Cape Fear)
• 1961 - Brian Orser, Canada, figure skater (Olympics-Silver-88)
• 1961 - Ken Foreman, rocker (Thrashing Doves-Reprobate's Hymm)
• 1961 - Lalchand Rajput, cricketer (Indian Test opening batsman 1985-86)
• 1961 - Thomas Strittmatter, writer
• 1963 - Charles Oakley, NBA forward (NY Knicks)
• 1963 - Lori McNeil, San Diego Calif, tennis star (1995 Oakland doubles)
• 1964 - Don Beebe, NFL wide reciever (Green Bay Packers-Superbowl 31)
• 1965 - Angeliki Kaneltopoutous, Greece, tennis star
• 1965 - Brad Pitt, actor (Cutting Class)
• 1965 - Brian Walton, Ottawa Ontario, points race cyclist (Olympics-silver-96)
• 1965 - Fawna Maclaren, Santa Monica Ca, playmate (Jan, 1989)
• 1965 - Willie Blair, Paintsville KY, pitcher (San Diego Padres)
• 1966 - Aaron Jones, NFL defensive end (NE Patriots)
• 1966 - Gianluca Pagliuca, Italian actress (Ugly Dirty & Bad)
• 1966 - Kiefer Sutherland, actor (Young Guns, Stand by Me, Lost Boys)
• 1966 - Patricia Neder, Wauykesha WI, team handball right wing (Olymp-92, 96)
• 1966 - Steve Dullaghan, rocker (Primitives-Lovely, Lump of Coal)
• 1966 - Terry Phelps, Larchmont NY, tennis star
• 1966 - Tracy Byrd, country singer
• 1967 - Bob Corkum, Salisbury, NHL center (Phila Flyers)
• 1967 - Charles Christopher Rymer, Cleveland TN, PGA golfer (1995 Shell-3rd)
• 1967 - Dan McGwire, NFL quarterback (Miami Dolphins)
• 1967 - Tracy Hayworth, NFL linebacker (Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons)
• 1968 - Aaron Craver, NFL running back (Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers)
• 1968 - Casper Van Dien, actor (Starship Troopers)
• 1969 - Andrew Murphy, Australian long jumper/triple jumper (Olympics-96)
• 1969 - Chris Dausin, WLAF corner/guard (Scottish Claymores)
• 1969 - Joanne Mills, Sydney Aust, golfer (T25 Holden 1994 Women's Aust Open)
• 1969 - Joe Randa, Milwaukee WI, infielder (KC Royals)
• 1969 - Keith Piper, cricketer (Warwickshire & England A wicketkeeper)
• 1969 - Marco Coleman, NFL defensive end (Miami Dolphins, San Diego Chargers)
• 1969 - T C Wright, WLAF running back (Amsterdam Admirals)
• 1970 - Lucious Harris, NBA guard (NJ Nets, Dallas Mavericks)
• 1971 - Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Barcelona, tennis star (Oly-silv/bronze-92)
• 1971 - Frank Pimiskern, CFL safety (BC Lions)
• 1971 - Joe Dziedzic, Minneapolis, NHL left wing (Pitts Penguins)
• 1971 - Markus Finke, WLAF running back (Rhein Fire)
• 1971 - Neil Little, Medicine Hat, NHL goalie (Phila Flyers)
• 1972 - Eric Unverzagt, NFL/WLAF linebacker (Sea Seahawks, Scotland Claymores)
• 1972 - Jeff Nelson, Prince Albert, NHL center (Washington Capitals)
• 1972 - Marcos Ondruska, South Africa, tennis star
• 1973 - Jason Williams, Gonzales LA, baseball infielder (Olympics-bronze-96)
• 1973 - Keith Washington, NFL defensive end (Minn Vikings, Baltimore Ravens)
• 1974 - Peter Boulware, linebacker (Baltimore Ravens)
• 1975 - Michael Barry, Toronto, Ontario, cyclist (Olympics-96)
• 1978 - Naomi Lang, Arcata Calif, dance skater (& Peter Tchernyshev)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0468 - Huna Mari bar Mar Zutra, rabbi, executed in Pumpedita
• 1290 - Magnus I Ladul†s, [Barn Bolt], king of Sweden (1277-90), dies
• 1505 - John IX van Horne, prince-bishop of Lieges, executed
• 1565 - Benedetto Varchi, Italian humanist/historian (L'Ercolano), dies at 62
• 1577 - Anna, duchess of Saxon/wife of prince Willem of Orange, dies at 32
• 1597 - Barbara Blomberg, German mistress of emperor Karel, dies at 67
• 1633 - Theodoor Galle, Flemish engraver, buried at 62
• 1638 - Le PŠre Joseph, French mystic, dies
• 1651 - Francisco the Melo, Portuguese/Spanish earl of Assumar, dies at 54
• 1710 - Peter Codde, apostile vicar (1688-1704), dies at 62
• 1732 - Johann Valentin Eckelt, composer, dies at 59
• 1737 - Antonio Stradivari, renowned violin-maker, dies in Cremona Italy at 93
• 1751 - Kilian I von Dientzenhofer, builder (Nepomukkerk, Prague), dies at 62
• 1779 - Jan Punt, engraver/illustrator/actor (Gideonschool), dies at 68
• 1803 - Johann G von Herder, German philosopher/theologist/poet, dies at 59
• 1829 - Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck, French nature investigator, dies at about 85
• 1831 - Willem Bilderdijk, Dutch poet/literary (My Relief), dies at 75
• 1835 - Johann Georg Anton Mederitsch-Gallus, composer, dies at 82
• 1839 - Charles-Henri Plantade, composer, dies at 75
• 1841 - Felice Blangini, composer, dies at 60
• 1858 - Joseph-Henri-Ignace Mees, composer, dies at 81
• 1862 - Johnson Kelly Duncan, architect/Confederate brig-generaal, dies at 35
• 1865 - Francisco Manuel da Silva, composer, dies at 70
• 1869 - Louis Moreau Gottschalk, composer, dies at 40
• 1892 - Richard Owen, English zoologist (Dinosaurus), dies at 88
• 1897 - Carlo A Alfieri, Italian Member of parliament, dies at 70
• 1899 - John William Glover, composer, dies at 84
• 1911 - Alberto Randegger, composer, dies at 79
• 1915 - douard Vaillant, French socialist politician/communard, dies at 75
• 1918 - Henryk Jarecki, composer, dies at 72
• 1919 - Horatio William Parker, composer, dies at 56
• 1919 - John Alcock, pilot (1st non-stop over Atlantic), dies in crash at 27
• 1928 - Lucien Capet, composer, dies at 55
• 1931 - John T "Legs" Diamond, US gangster, murdered at 35
• 1932 - Eduard "Ede" Bernstein, German marxist/revisionist, dies at 82
• 1935 - Juan V G˘mez, general/dictator of Venezuela (1908-35), dies
• 1937 - S S Schultz, cricketer (one Test England v Australia 1879), dies
• 1939 - Matthew Brown, Journalist, dies at 51
• 1942 - Charlie Walker, cricketer (Aust tourist to England 1930, 1938), dies
• 1948 - Janet Fay, hammered to death by Honeymoon Killers
• 1959 - Dorothy L Sayers, writer, dies at 66
• 1963 - Winifried P I Zillig, German composer/conductor (Opfer), dies at 58
• 1966 - Gene Gauntier, dies in Cuernavaca Mexico
• 1971 - Aleksandr T Tvardovski, Russ editor in chief (Novyj Mir), dies at 61
• 1971 - Bobby Jones Jr, PGA golfer (Grand Slam 1930), dies at 69
• 1971 - Diana Lynn, actress (Annapolis Story, Easy Come Easy Go), dies at 45
• 1973 - Giulio Cesare Brero, composer, dies at 64
• 1976 - George Emmett, cricketer (Engld opener v Aust Old Trafford 1948), dies
• 1977 - Cyril Ritchard, actor (Peter Pan), dies at 80
• 1977 - Louis Untermeyer, poet/critic/TV panelist (What's My Line), dies at 92
• 1980 - Alexei N Kosygin, Soviet PM (1964-80), suffers heart attack at 76
• 1981 - Mehmet Shehu, PM Albania (1954-81)/"US-Russ spy", commits suicide
• 1982 - Raymond Emery, cricketer (2 Tests NZ v WI 1952, 46 runs, 2 wkts), dies
• 1982 - Tibor de Machula, Hungary/Neth cellist, dies at 70
• 1986 - Mamo Clark, actor (1 Million BC, Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island), dies
• 1990 - Anne Revere, actress (National Velvet), dies of pneumonia at 87
• 1990 - Paul Tortelier, composer, dies at 76
• 1991 - June Storey, actress (South of the Border), dies of cancer at 73
• 1992 - Dana Andrews, actor (Best Years of Our Lifes), dies at 83
• 1992 - Mark Goodson, TV game show producer (Goodson-Toddman), dies at 77
• 1992 - Mother Clare Hale, cared for NYC AIDS babies (Hale House), dies at 87
• 1992 - Richard H Ichord, US leader of House Un-American Act Comm, dies
• 1993 - Sam Wanamaker, actor (Pvt Benjamin), dies of prostate cancer at 74
• 1994 - Heinz Bernard Lowenstein, actor/director, dies at 71
• 1994 - Lilia Skala, Austrian/US actress (Ship of Fools, Caprice), dies at 98
• 1994 - Peter Hebblethwaite, English editor-in-chief (The Month), dies at 64
• 1995 - Chaim Pearl, rabbi, dies at 76
• 1995 - Georgio Fini, restaurateur, dies at 70
• 1995 - Ross Thomas, author, dies at 69
• 1996 - Arthur Jacobs, musicologist, dies at 74
• 1997 - Chris Farley, comedian (SNL, Tommy Boy), dies at 33