• 1589 - Honorat de Brueil seigneur de Racan, French playwright/poet
• 1626 - Marie de S‚vign‚, Paris, letter-writer (Portrait in Letters)
• 1662 - Giuseppi Vignola, composer
• 1711 - Joseph Umstatt, composer
• 1723 - John Witherspoon, clergyman/signed Declaration of Independence
• 1732 - Nathanael Gottfried Gruner, composer
• 1744 - John Jeffries, colonial physician/meteorologist
• 1748 - Christian Gottlob Neefe, German composer/conductor/tutor of Beethoven
• 1753 - Coert L van Beyma thoe Kingma, Frisian regent/patriot
• 1770 - Alexandre Brongniart, Paris, mineralogist/geologist (Tertiary)
• 1775 - Margaretha J de Neufville, author (Small Pligten)
• 1778 - Robert Peel, British PM (1834-46)/founder (Tories)
• 1779 - Frans van Campenhout, Belgian vocalist/composer (Braban‡onne)
• 1788 - Karoly Kisfaludy, Hungarian literary (A Tat rok Magyarorsz gon)
• 1788 - Robert "Bobbie" Peel, British conservative premier/founder (Bobbies)
• 1799 - John Lindley, English botanist (Elements of Botany)
• 1804 - Johan Ludvig Runeberg, Finland, poet
• 1810 - Ole Bull, composer
• 1833 - John Watkinson, founder of British Chess Magazine (oldest chess mag)
• 1837 - Dwight Lyman Moody, US, evangelist (Student Volunteer Movement)
• 1840 - Hiram Stevens Maxim, inventor (automatic single-barrel rifle)
• 1840 - John Boyd Dunlop, Scotland, developer (pneumatic rubber tire)
• 1848 - Belle Starr [Myra Belle Shirley], US female outlaw (wild west)
• 1848 - Joris-Karl Huysmans, France, writer (Against the Grain)
• 1856 - Otto Brahm, German critic/founder (Neue Deutsche Rundschau)
• 1860 - Jackson Showalter, 1st US chess champion (1888-92, 1895-97, 1906-0?)
• 1862 - Felipe Villanueva y Guti‚rrez, Mexico, composer
• 1863 - Armand Parent, composer
• 1864 - Carl Tieke, composer
• 1865 - Harvey Worthington Loomis, composer
• 1866 - Arthur Keith, Scottish anthropologist
• 1866 - Henri [Hendrik J] Hall, Dutch MP/comic (Put a Lid on it)
• 1866 - Rossetter Gleason Cole, composer
• 1867 - Casper A Lingbeek, vicar/Dutch MP (HSP, 1925..37)
• 1868 - Lodewijk Mortelmans, composer
• 1871 - Jovan Ducic, Serb poet (Blue Legends)
• 1878 - Andr‚-Gustave Citro‰n, France, auto maker
• 1879 - Edward Rigby, England, actor (Star Look Down, Young & Innocent)
• 1881 - Frederick Leonard Lonsdale, British playwright (Balkan Princess)
• 1882 - Felice Lattuada, composer
• 1887 - A P Gtersloh, writer
• 1889 - Elias Henry "Patsy" Hendren, cricketer (prolific England bat of 20's)
• 1889 - Ernest Tyldesley, cricketer (1st Lancastrian to score 100 100's)
• 1889 - Ioan Dumitru Chirescu, composer
• 1891 - Elizabeth Ryan, Anaheim Calif, doubles tennis champ (6 time Wimbled)
• 1891 - Karl L Schmidt, German/Swiss theologist (Urchristentum)
• 1892 - George Saiko, writer
• 1893 - Roman Ingarden, Polish philosopher (Studia philosophica)
• 1897 - Dirk U Stikker, director (Heineken)/Dutch foreign minister/NATO
• 1900 - Adlai E Stevenson, (Gov-D-Ill), pres candidate (D) (1952, 1956)
• 1902 - Bronislaw Kaper, composer
• 1903 - Ivan Galamian, Tabriz Persia, violinist
• 1903 - Joan Whitney Payson, owner (NY Mets & horse stables)
• 1903 - Nathaniel Owings, Indianapolis, architect (Oak Ridge, TN; Sears)
• 1906 - John Carradine, Greenwich Village NY, actor (Grapes of Wrath, Howling)
• 1907 - Jan Klaasesz, Dutch governor Suriname (1949-56)
• 1907 - Norton Simon, business executive (Simon & Schuster)
• 1907 - Pierre E J Pflimlin, premier France
• 1909 - Grazyna Bacewicz, composer
• 1910 - Martha van Och-Scholl, German/Dutch resistance fighter (WW II)
• 1912 - Willard Parker, NYC, actor (Kiss Me Kate, What A Woman)
• 1912 - Zoltan Pongracz, composer
• 1913 - Rozelle Claxton, pianist/arranger
• 1914 - Alan Hodgkin, British physicist (Nobel 1963)
• 1914 - William S Burroughs, St Louis, novelist (Naked Lunch)
• 1915 - Robert Hofstadter, US atomic physicist
• 1917 - Zsa Zsa Gabor, [Zsa Sari], Budapest, actress (Queen of Outer Space)
• 1918 - Charles J "Tim" Holt, US actor (Treasure of Sierra Madre)
• 1918 - Kara Abulfazogli Karayev, composer
• 1918 - Tim Holt, Beverly Hills CA, actor (Stagecoach, Hitler's Children)
• 1919 - Andrea George Papandreou, Greek premier (1981-89, 93- )
• 1919 - Red Buttons, [Aaron Chwatt], Bronx NYC, comedian/actor (Sayonara)
• 1921 - John M Pritchard, London England, conductor
• 1922 - Bernard Kalb, spokesman (State Dept)/actor (Dave)
• 1923 - Stephen J Cannell, TV producer/writer
• 1924 - Robert Lynn, anarchist
• 1926 - Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, NYC, publisher (NY Times)
• 1927 - Robert Brown, Herbrides Is, actor (Here Come the Brides, Primus)
• 1927 - Val Dufour, New Orleans LA, actor (Eugenie Grandet, Another World)
• 1928 - Andrew M Greeley, author/reverend
• 1928 - Pananayiotis Taki Vatikiotis, middle east scholar
• 1929 - Fred Sinowatz, (SP™), chancellor of Austria (1983-86)
• 1933 - J”rn Donner, Helsinki Finland, director (Anna, Tenderness)
• 1933 - Nick Georgiade, NYC, actor (Untouchables, Run Buddy Run)
• 1933 - Ron Wilson, US percussionist (Joy of Cooking)
• 1934 - Hank Aaron, baseball player (record 755 HRs, 1957 NL MVP)
• 1935 - Alex Harvey, rocker (Just Visiting This Planet)
• 1935 - John J "Jannie" Geldenhuys, supreme commander S Africa army 1980- )
• 1937 - Cocky van Oost, [Kommertje van Vliet], Dutch dancer (Sylphides)
• 1937 - Gaston Roelants, Belgium, world cross-country champion
• 1937 - Stuart Damon, Bkln NY, actor (Alan Quartermaine-General Hospital)
• 1938 - Dick van Niehoff, Dutch vocalist (Fouryo)
• 1938 - John Guare, US writer (6ĝ of Separation, Atlantic City, Taking Off)
• 1939 - Brian Luckhurst, cricketer (England opener of 60's & early 70's)
• 1939 - Jane Bryant Quinn, newscaster/financial writer (Everyone's Money Book)
• 1940 - H R Giger, artist, special effects designer, (Alien)
• 1941 - Barrett Strong, Detroit, vocalist (Money, That's What I Want)
• 1941 - David Selby, Morganstown WV, actor (Falcon Crest, Flamingo Road)
• 1941 - Rick Laird, jazz musician (Gerry Niewood & Timepiece)
• 1941 - Stephen J Cannell, producer (Rockford Files)
• 1942 - Cory Wells, Buffalo NY, rock vocalist (3 Dog Night-Joy to the World)
• 1942 - Roger Staubach, NFL quarterback (Dallas Cowboys)
• 1942 - Susan Hill, English playwright (Magic Apple Tree)
• 1943 - Charles Winfield, Penn, rocker (Blood Sweat & Tears-Spinning Wheel)
• 1943 - Craig Morton, Flint Mich, NFL quarterback (Dallas, Denver)
• 1943 - Ivan Alexandrovich Tcherepnin, composer
• 1943 - Larry Tamblyn, rock guitarist (Standells-Dirty Water)
• 1943 - Michael Mann, Chicago IL, actor/director (Sexpot, Close Friends)
• 1943 - Nolan Bushnell, founder (Atari)/creator (Pong)
• 1943 - Sven Johnson, rocker (Tangerine Dream
• 1944 - Al Kooper, rock keyboards/vocalist (Blood Sweat & Tears-When I Die)
• 1944 - Cory Wells, rocker
• 1944 - J R Cobb, Birmingham Ala, rocker (Atlanta Rhythm Section, Classic IV)
• 1946 - Charlotte Rampling, England, actress (Zardoz, Night Porter, Verdict)
• 1947 - Claude King, singer
• 1947 - David Ladd, LA Calif, actor (Raymie, Catlow, Misty, Deathline)
• 1947 - Mary Louise Cleave, Southampton NY, PhD/astronaut (STS 61-B, STS 30)
• 1948 - Barbara Hershey, [Herzstein], Atlanta, (Stuntman, Shy People)
• 1948 - Christopher Guest, NYC, actor (SNL, Heartbeeps, This is Spinal Tap)
• 1948 - David Denny, rock guitarist (Steve Miller Band-Abracadabra)
• 1948 - Elco [LC] Brinkman, Dutch minister WVC (CDA)
• 1948 - Nigel Tufnel, rocker (Spinal Tap)
• 1949 - David Sullivan, English softporno/newspaper publisher (Sunday Sport)
• 1949 - Maidarjabyn Ganzorig, Mongolia, cosmonaut (Soyuz 39 backup)
• 1949 - Nigel Olsson, rock guitarist/drummer (Elton John Band)
• 1950 - Ann Sexton, US vocalist (You're Gone too Long)
• 1951 - Elizabeth Swados, Buffalo NY, composer/playwright (1972 TONY)
• 1954 - Roseanne Katan, Jamacia, playmate (Sep, 1978)
• 1955 - Debra Jo Fondren, Los Angeles Cal, playmate of year (September, 1977)
• 1957 - Craig Wilson, Beeville TX, US water polo goalie (Olym-silver-84, 88)
• 1958 - Jennifer Jason Leigh, [Morrow], LA Cal, actress (Single White Female)
• 1959 - Glenn Dubis, Lincoln Neb, US 3x40 rifle (Olympics-1984, 88, 96)
• 1960 - Jane Geddes, Huntington NY, LPGA golfer (1987 Women's Kemper Open)
• 1960 - William John Readings, literary theorist
• 1962 - Duff McKagan, [Michael], Seattle Wash, bassist (Guns & Roses)
• 1962 - Tommy Skeoch, rock vocalist (Tesla-Psychotic Supper)
• 1964 - Jim Pugh, Burbank CA, tennis star
• 1965 - Ben Lee, Rangoon Burma, US badminton player (Olympic-92)
• 1965 - James David McGovern, Teaneck NJ, PGA golfer (1993 Shell Houston Open)
• 1965 - Tarik Benhabiles, Algeria, tennis star
• 1966 - Jose Maria Olazabal, golfer
• 1968 - Chris Barron, rocker (Spin Doctors)
• 1968 - Regina Rajchitova, Czech, tennis star
• 1968 - Roberto Alomar, Salinas Puerto Rico, infielder (Baltimore Orioles)
• 1968 - Will Furrer, NFL quarterback (Houston Oilers, St Louis Rams)
• 1969 - Bobby Brown, Roxbury Ma, vocalist (Ghostbusters, Don't Be Cruel)
• 1970 - Darren Lehmann, cricketer (SA & Vic LHB Australian ODI 1996)
• 1970 - Forey Duckett, NFL/WLAF cornerback/safety (Saints, Scot Claymores)
• 1971 - Dennis Hall, Milwaukee, 125Ğ lbs greco-roman wrestler (Oly-sil-92, 96)
• 1971 - Dianne Norman, Sault Ste Marie Ontario, basketball forward (Oly-96)
• 1971 - Marcus Redman, actor (Raymond-Doogie Howser)
• 1971 - Peter "Chip" Cipollone, Ardmore Pa, rower (Olympics-1996)
• 1972 - Chris Bailey, ice hockey defenseman (USA, Oly-98)
• 1972 - Erin Phillips, Mexico Missouri, Miss America-Missouri (1996)
• 1972 - Tony Johnson, tight end (New Orleans Saints)
• 1973 - Diego Serrano, Quito Ecuador, actor (Tomas Rivera-Another World)
• 1973 - Israel Raybon, defensive end (Carolina Panthers)
• 1973 - Laura Espinoza-Watson, Torrance CA, female infielder (Silver Bullets)
• 1973 - Richard Matvichuk, Ft Saskatchewan C, NHL defenseman (Dallas Stars)
• 1974 - Adrienne Johnson, WNBA guard (Cleveland Rockers)
• 1975 - Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Dutch soccer player (Feyenoord)
• 1975 - Jan l'Ami, Dutch soccer player (Willem II)
• 1976 - Nancy Feber, Antwerp Belgium, tennis star (1995 Puerto Rico)
• 1978 - Kristina Cherina, Miss Croatia Universe (1997)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 1578 - Giovanni B Moroni, Italian portrait painter, dies
• 1591 - Gerard de Jode, Flemish publisher, dies
• 1658 - Maria Margaretha van Angels, Dutch prioress at Oirschot, dies at 52
• 1679 - Joost van den Vondel, Dutch poet (Gysbreght van Aemstel), dies at 91
• 1685 - Charles II, king of England (1660-85)/Nell Gwynns lover, dies at 54?
• 1705 - Jean Gilles, composer, dies at 37
• 1721 - James Stanhope 1st earl of Stanhope, English general, dies at 47
• 1738 - Georg Reidel, composer, dies at 61
• 1745 - Coelestin Praelisauer, composer, dies at 49
• 1754 - Nicolaas S Cruquius, hydraulic engineer, (Haarlemmermeer), dies at 75
• 1758 - Bernhard Christian Weber, composer, dies at 45
• 1807 - Pasquale Paoli, Corsican freedom fighter, dies at 80
• 1812 - Franz Schneider, composer, dies at 74
• 1822 - Ali Pasha of Janina, (Napoleon, Lord Byron), dies at about 77
• 1825 - Pierre Gaveaux, composer, dies at 64
• 1831 - John CJ van Speijk, commits suicide at 29
• 1838 - Philippe Libon, composer, dies at 62
• 1867 - Salomon Munk, published Arabic edition of Maimounides, dies
• 1881 - Thomas Carlyle, historian/essayist, dies in London at 85
• 1888 - Anton Mauve, Dutch painter/cousin of Vincent Van Gogh, dies at 49
• 1897 - Hoss Radbourn, pitcher won 60 games in 1884, dies at 42
• 1907 - Ludwig Thuille, composer, dies at 45
• 1911 - Petrus A Cronj‚, Transvaal Boer general, dies
• 1917 - Paul Rubens, composer, dies at 41
• 1919 - Vasili V Rozanov, Russian philosopher/writer, dies at 62
• 1922 - Christiaan R de Wet, South African Boer general, dies at 67
• 1922 - James William Tate, composer, dies at 46
• 1924 - Alexis Hollander, composer, dies at 83
• 1926 - Andre Gedalge, composer, dies at 69
• 1929 - Siegfried Ochs, composer, dies at 70
• 1937 - Lou [Andreas-]Salom‚, Russian/German author (Eroticism), dies at 75
• 1943 - Wim Gertenbach, Dutch resistance fighter (Slogan), shot by Nazis
• 1944 - Robert E Park, sociologist (human ecology, marginal man), dies at 79
• 1946 - George Arliss, actor/writer (Dr Syn, Voltaire), dies at 77
• 1947 - Ganzefles, Dutch nazi spy/Jews hunter, executed
• 1947 - Hans Fallada, writer, dies at 53
• 1948 - Johann Blaskowitz, German gen (surrendered at Wageningen), dies at 64
• 1949 - Juozas Tallat-Kelpsa, composer, dies at 50
• 1952 - Reginald Allen, cricketer (uncle of Gubby, Test Aust v Eng 1887), dies
• 1954 - Vittorio Gnecchi, composer, dies at 77
• 1956 - Savilly Tartakower, Austrian/Polish/French chess player, dies at 74
• 1958 - Henry M Tomlinson, British writer (Under red ensign), dies at 84
• 1959 - Gwili Andre, actress (No Other Woman, Roar of the Dragon), dies
• 1960 - Louis Stricker, cricketer (S Afr open bat in 13 Tests 1909-12), dies
• 1960 - Rudolf Nelson, composer, dies at 81
• 1961 - Anthony G de Rothschild, British philanthropist, dies at 73
• 1962 - Jacques Ibert, French composer (Escales), dies at 71
• 1965 - Irving Bacon, actor (Fort Ti, Petticoat Fever), dies at 71
• 1966 - Ludwig Binswanger, Swiss psychiatrist (šber Ideenflucht), dies at 84
• 1967 - Herman Teirlinck, Belgian writer (Jokaste against God), dies at 87
• 1968 - Luckey Roberts, composer, dies at 80
• 1968 - Nick Adams, actor (Johnny Yuma-Rebel), dies at 36
• 1969 - Thelma Ritter, actress (Miracle on 34th Street), dies at 63
• 1971 - M ty s R kosi, Hungarian premier (1952..56), dies at 78
• 1972 - Marianne Moore, US poetess (Pulitzer 1951), dies at 84
• 1973 - George Morrison, dies at 82
• 1973 - L C William Nolde, last US soldier killed in Vietnam, funeral
• 1976 - Roger Livesey, actor (Drum, Vice Versa, Col Blimp), dies at 69
• 1977 - Izaak Boleslavski, Russian chess player, dies at 67
• 1978 - Annie [Anna HM] Romein-Verschoor, Dutch historian (Omzien), dies at 83
• 1978 - Frans van Immerseel, Belgian graphic artist, dies at 68
• 1979 - Eddie Paynter, cricketer (20 Tests for England, avg 59.23), dies
• 1981 - Barend Barendse, Dutch sportscaster, dies at 73
• 1981 - Kuda Bux, Indian mystic (I'd Like to See), dies at 75
• 1982 - Dolores Moran, actress (Yankee Doodle Dandy), dies at 56
• 1982 - Neil Aggett, South African worker's union leader, commits suicide
• 1982 - Wies [Aloisius CA] Moens, Flemish writer/nazi, dies at 84
• 1983 - Derk Roemers, Dutch union leader/politician (soc dem), dies at 67
• 1989 - Joe Raposa, composer/songwriter (Sesame Street), dies at 51
• 1991 - Dean Jagger, US actor (Mr Novak, Rawhide, Oscar), dies at about 87
• 1991 - Pedro Arrupe, Spanish priest/Jesuit, dies at 83
• 1992 - Donald Zimmerman, editor, dies
• 1992 - Laura Liddell, actress (Shakespeare Wallah), dies at 83
• 1993 - Jack Young, cricketer (8 Tests for England 1947-49, 17 wickets), dies
• 1993 - Joseph L Mankiewicz, US writer/director (All about Eve), dies at 83
• 1993 - Tip Tipping, [Tim], stuntman, dies in sky-diving accident at 34
• 1994 - Fred de Bruyne, Flemish cyclist/gang leader (Paris-Nice), dies at 63
• 1994 - Hermann Abs, German banker to Hitler & Adenauer, dies at 92
• 1994 - Kenneth "Buddy" Scott, blues guitarist/Singer, dies at 59
• 1995 - Courtenay E Benson, broadcaster, dies at 79
• 1995 - Doug Mcclure, US rodeo rider/actor (Trampas-Virginian), dies at 59
• 1995 - Frans K”hler, Dutch painter, dies at 59
• 1995 - Frederick Craig Riddle, violist, dies at 82
• 1995 - Judith Fluks, Amsterdam's activist, dies
• 1995 - Kimberley Leston, journalist, dies at 35
• 1996 - Antonio Ruiz Soler, spanish dancer, dies at 74
• 1996 - Gianandrea Gavazzeni, conductor, dies at 86
• 1996 - Peter Pooley, broadcaster, dies at 84
• 1996 - W R Lee, language teacher, dies at 84
• 1997 - John Richard Patterson, businessman, dies at 51
• 1997 - Pamela Harriman, US Ambassador (to France), dies of stroke at 76
• 1998 - Tim Kelly, guitarist, dies at 34