• 1509 - John Calvin, Protestant religious reformer/theologian
• 1517 - Odet de Coligny, Cardinal of Chƒtillon/bishop
• 1526 - Philip III van Croij, duke of Aarschot/earl of Porcien
• 1638 - David Teniers III, Flemish painter (carpet cartons)
• 1697 - Fran‡ois Hanot, composer
• 1723 - William Blackstone, England, jurist (Blackstone's Commentaries)
• 1759 - Eleanore Sophia Maria Westenholz, composer
• 1778 - Sigismund Ritter von Neukomm, Austrian composer/royal chaplain master
• 1779 - Alois Basil Nikolaus Tomasini, composer
• 1792 - George Mifflin Dallas, (D) 11th VP (1845-49)
• 1797 - Pieter L Uys, South African pioneer (Great Pull)
• 1818 - John Stuart "Cerro Gordo" Williams, Brig General (Confederate Army)
• 1820 - Andrew Porter, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1872
• 1821 - Christopher Columbus Augur, Major General (Union volunteers)
• 1824 - Rudolf von Benningsen, German lawyer/politician
• 1826 - Theodore Edouard Dufaure de Lajarte, composer
• 1830 - Camille Pissaro, Danish Antillean/French painter (impressionism)
• 1833 - Lucius Eugene Polk, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1892
• 1834 - James A McNeill Whistler, US/British painter (Whistler's Mother)
• 1835 - Henryk Wieniawski, Lubin Poland, violinist/composer (Souv de Moscou)
• 1846 - Elisabeth F”rster-Nietzsche, German writer (Young Nietzsche)
• 1852 - Alfred von Kiderlen-Waechter, German foreign minister
• 1856 - Nikola Tesla, Yugoslavia, physicist, developed alternating current
• 1858 - Karl Flodin, composer
• 1865 - Jan "Pa" van der Steur, Dutch philanthropist (Steurtjes)
• 1867 - Finley Peter Dunne, US, journalist/humorist (Mr Dooley)
• 1867 - Max Prinz von Baden, German chancellor (Oct-Nov 1918)
• 1870 - Maurice Lugeon, Swiss geologist (nappism)
• 1871 - Marcel Proust, France, novelist (Remembrance of Things Past)
• 1874 - Austin Diamond, cricket non-Test capt (NSW batsman 1899-1919, Aust)
• 1875 - Mary McLeod Bethune, SC, slave/educator (Bethune-Cookman College)
• 1877 - H‚lŠne Dutrieu, com‚dienne/stuntwoman/1st Belgian female pilot
• 1879 - Harry Nicholls Holmes, Penn, Dr (crystallized vitamin A)
• 1882 - Ima Hogg, Texas art patron/founder of Houston Symphony
• 1882 - Riccadro Pick-Mangiagalli, composer
• 1883 - Johann Blaskowitz, German general
• 1883 - Sam Wood, US, communist fighter/director (For Whom the Bell Tolls)
• 1886 - John SSPV Gort, viscount of Limerick/fieldmarshal of Palestine
• 1887 - Alfred Ernest Whitehead, composer
• 1888 - Giorgio De Chirico, Greece, Metaphysical painter (Soothsayer)
• 1888 - Graham McNamee, sportscaster (1st Rose Bowl)
• 1888 - Toyohiko Kagawa, Kobe, Japan, Christian social reformer
• 1889 - Robert [Harriot] Barrat, NYC, actor (Go West, Distant Drums)
• 1890 - Andre Souris, composer
• 1892 - George "Slim" Summerville, US actor (Keystone Cops)
• 1894 - Jimmy Francis McHugh, composer
• 1895 - Carl Orff, Munich Germany, composer (Antigonae; Mozart prize 1969)
• 1895 - John Gilbert, [Pringle], Logan UT, actor (Heart o' the Hills)
• 1895 - Maarten P Vrij, Dutch lawyer/criminologist/member High Court
• 1895 - Nahum Goldmann, Switz, pres Zionist World Organization
• 1897 - Lloyd Goodrich, American Arts Museum director
• 1900 - Bob Catterall, cricketer (dashing South African batsman of 20's)
• 1900 - Elsie Evelyn Laye, English singer/actress (Bitter Sweet, Merry Widow)
• 1902 - G Weisenborn, writer
• 1902 - Gnther Weisenborn, [Eberhard F”rster], German/Argentine writer
• 1902 - Kurt Alder, German chemist (Nobel 1950)
• 1902 - Nicol s Guill‚n, Cuban poet (Motivos de son)
• 1903 - John Wyndham P L B Harris, US, sci-fi author (Day of the Triffids)
• 1904 - Isa Krejci, composer
• 1905 - Thomas Gomez, NYC, actor (Force of Evil, Key Largo, Kim, Sellout)
• 1910 - Ronald Fletcher, broadcaster
• 1911 - Djuanda Kartawidjaja, premier of Indonesia
• 1912 - Francis Showering, brewer
• 1913 - Ljuba Welitsch, Borisovo, Bulgaria, opera soprano (Nedda-Pagliacci)
• 1914 - Saul Bellow, Quebec, novelist (Nobel 1976-Mr Samler's Planet)
• 1916 - Dick Cary, jazz Musician
• 1917 - Don Herbert, Waconia Minn, scientist/TV host (Watch Mr Wizard)
• 1917 - Reg Smyth, English cartoonist (Andy Capp)
• 1919 - Rusty Gill, St Louis Mo, singer (Polka Time)
• 1920 - David Brinkley, Wilmington NC, NBC news anchor (Huntley-Brinkley)
• 1920 - Owen Chamberlain, physicist/co-discoverer (antiproton, Nobel-1959)
• 1921 - Eunice Shriver, founder (Special Olympics)
• 1921 - Jake LaMotta, Bronx, middleweight boxing champ (1949-51) (Raging Bull)
• 1921 - Jeff Donnell, South Windham Maine, actor (Gidget Goes to Rome)
• 1921 - Revaz Il'yich Lagidze, composer
• 1921 - [Leopold J] Paul Cammermans, Flemish actor (Getatoe‰erde Rose)
• 1922 - Derek Prouse, writer actor/film festival director (Le Scandale)
• 1922 - Herb McKenley, Jamaica, 4 X 400m relay runner (Olympic-gold-1952)
• 1923 - Jean Kerr, Scranton Pa, novelist (Please Don't Eat the Daisies)
• 1925 - Dorothea Hochletiner, Austria, giant slalom (Olympic-bronze-1956)
• 1926 - Carleton Carpenter, Bennington Vt, actor (Up Periscope, Summer Stock)
• 1926 - Fred Gwynne, NYC, actor (Car 54 Where Are You, Munsters)
• 1927 - David Norman Dinkins, (1st black Mayor-D-NYC, 1990-93)
• 1927 - Don Revie, English soccer coach (Leeds, National team)
• 1927 - Paul Whr, writer
• 1927 - William Smithers, Richmond Va, actor (Witness, Peyton Place, Attack!)
• 1928 - Jack Nel, cricketer (South African opening bat in 6 Tests 1949-57)
• 1929 - Moe Norman, Kitchener Ont, Canadian Tour golfer (1966 Quebec Open)
• 1930 - Jacques Klein, Brazilian pianist
• 1931 - Alice Munro, author (Dance of the Happy Shades)
• 1931 - Del Insko, harness racer (toothpick in mouth, 1969 money leader)
• 1931 - Julian May, US, sci-fi author (Golden Torc, Magnificat)
• 1931 - Nick Adams, Nanticoke Pa, actor (Johnny Yuma-Rebel)
• 1932 - Jrgen Becker, writer
• 1933 - Chuan-Kwang Yang, Taiwan, decathlete (Olympic-silver-1960)
• 1933 - Jerry Herman, Broadway composer (Hello Dolly)
• 1934 - Munir Malik, Pakistani cricket pace bowler (3 Tests 1959-62)
• 1936 - Barbara B Kennelly, (Rep-D-Connecticut, 1982- )
• 1936 - Jan Wincenty Hawel, composer
• 1937 - Sandy Stewart, Phila Pa, singer (Sing Along With Mitch, Mr President)
• 1939 - Lawrence Pressman, Ky, actor (Man From Atlantis, Hellstrom Chronicle)
• 1940 - Dawid J "Dawie" de Villiers, S African minister of energy (1989- )
• 1940 - Keith Stackpole, cricketer (aggressive Australian opener 1966-74)
• 1940 - Mills Watson, Oakland Calif, actor (Harper Valley PTA, BJ & Bear)
• 1941 - Ian Whitcomb, England, rocker (You Turn Me On)
• 1941 - Pyotr Ilyich Klimuk, Poland, cosmonaut (Soyuz 13, 18B, 30)
• 1941 - Robert Pine, Scarsdale NY, actor (Joe Getraer-CHiPs)
• 1943 - Arthur Ashe, tennis pro (1968 US Open, 1975 Wimbledon)
• 1943 - Jerry Miller, Tacoma Wa, rock guitarist (Moby Grape)
• 1944 - Beaky, rocker
• 1945 - Ron Glass, Evansville IN, actor (Harris-Barney Miller, Frank's Place)
• 1945 - [Sarah] Virginia Wade, England, tennis star (Wimbledon 1977)
• 1946 - Sue Lyon, Davenport Iowa, actress (Lolita, Night of the Iguana)
• 1947 - Arlo Guthrie, Bkln, singer (Alice's Restaurant, City of New Orleans)
• 1947 - Camilla Parker Bowles, lover of Prince Charles
• 1947 - Jeff Hanna, Detroit, country singer (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) [or 8/11]
• 1947 - John Trevor Key, photographer
• 1949 - Dave Smally, rocker (Raspberries)
• 1949 - Mark Shera, Bayonne NJ, actor (SWAT, Barnaby Jones)
• 1949 - Ronnie James Dio, rocker (Dio-Holy Diver, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath)
• 1949 - Sunil Gavaskar, Indian cricket player (opener, 10122 Test runs)
• 1949 - Wally Bryson, NC, rock guitarist/vocalist (Fotomaker, Raspberries)
• 1950 - Willie Ford, US R&B-singer (Dramatics-Me & Mrs Jones)
• 1953 - Rik "The Rocket" Emmett, Toronto, rock vocalist (Triumph)
• 1954 - Andre Dawson, Miami Fla, outfielder (Expos, Cubs, 1987 NL MVP)
• 1954 - Gene Holder, rocker
• 1954 - Neil Francis Tennant, rocker (Pet Shop Boys-Left to My Own Devices)
• 1955 - Pamela Theresa Jiles, NO LA, 4X400m relayer (Olympic-silver-1976)
• 1960 - Rob de Weerd, Dutch rock guitarist (Tr”ckener Kecks)
• 1960 - Roger Craig, NFL reciever (SF 49ers)
• 1962 - Mike Saxon, NFL punter (Minn Vikings)
• 1964 - Felipe Martinez, jockey
• 1965 - Buddy Groom, Dallas TX, pitcher (Oakland A's)
• 1965 - Scott Michael McCarron, Sacramento CA, PGA golfer (1995 Las Vegas-3rd)
• 1966 - Alvoid Mays, NFL cornerback (Pitts Steelers)
• 1967 - Alfred Jackson, NFL cornerback (Minn Vikings)
• 1967 - Virgil Breedveld, soccer player (Dordrecht '90)
• 1968 - Hassisba Boulmerka, Algeria, 1500m (Olympics-gold-92)
• 1969 - Marty Cordova, Las Vegas NV, outfielder (Minn Twins)
• 1970 - Klaas Van Noortwijk, cricketer (Holland batsman 1996 World Cup)
• 1971 - Adam Foote, Toronto, NHL defenseman (Colorado Avalanche, Team Canada)
• 1971 - Brent Alexander, NFL defensive back (Arizona Cardinals)
• 1972 - Damon Sharpe, Cleveland Ohio, actor/musician (Guys Next Door)
• 1973 - Claudius Wright, WLAF CB (London Monarchs)
• 1974 - Idalmis Marina Vidal, Miss Florida USA (1996)
• 1974 - Jennifer Montica Curry, Muscatine Iowa, Miss America-Iowa (1996)
• 1980 - Thomas Ian Nicholas, actor (Radio Flyer, Rookie of the Year)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0138 - Publius A Hadrianus, Roman emperor (117-138), dies
• 0518 - Anastasius I Dikoros, [Dyrrhachium/Durazzo], Byzantine emperor, dies
• 0983 - Benedict VI, Italian Pope (974-83), dies
• 1086 - Knut IV, the Saint, king of Denmark (1080-86), murdered
• 1103 - Erik I Ejegod, the good hearted, King of Denmark (1095-1103), dies
• 1480 - Ren‚, last heir of house of Anjou, dies
• 1535 - Jacob Van Campen, Reconstruction bishop, beheaded
• 1559 - Henry II, King of France (1547-59), dies
• 1573 - Willem van Bronkhorst, Brattenburg/Stein/army leader, dies
• 1584 - Willem I "the Silent", [Willem of Orange], earl of Nassau, dies at 51
• 1594 - Paulo Bellasio, composer, dies at 40
• 1668 - Adam-Nicolas Gascon, composer, dies at 45
• 1686 - Ercole Ferrata, Italian sculptor/restauranteur, dies at 76
• 1690 - Domenico Gabrielli, composer, dies at 39
• 1690 - Jan van Brakel, Dutch vice admiral (Chatham), dies in battle at 48
• 1692 - Bridget Bishop, 1st Salem witch hanged
• 1762 - Johann F Gronovius, physician/botany, dies at 76
• 1838 - Willem earl van Hogendorp, Dutch colonial governor, dies at about 43
• 1839 - Fernando Joseph Maria Sor, composer, dies at 61
• 1851 - Louis-Jacques-Mand‚ Daguerre, French painter (daguerreotypie), dies
• 1863 - Clement Clarke Moore, ('Twas the Night Before Xmas), dies at 83
• 1863 - Paul Jones Semmes, US businessman/Confederate brig-general, dies at 48
• 1868 - Carlo Conti, composer, dies at 71
• 1884 - Paul Charles Morphy, US lawyer/chess wizard, dies at 47
• 1888 - Rafael Hernando, composer, dies at 66
• 1891 - Pedro A de Alarc¢n, Spanish editor-in-chief (El L tigo), dies at 58
• 1902 - Albert FA, king of Saxon (1873-1902), dies at 74
• 1908 - Eliza Laurillard, vicar/poet/writer, dies at 78
• 1909 - Flooi Du Toit, cricket leg-spinner (Test for South Africa 1892), dies
• 1910 - Johann G Galle, German discoverer of Neptune by telescope, dies
• 1915 - Hendrik W Mesdag, painter (Panorama Mesdag), dies
• 1920 - Eug‚nie M de Montijo y de Guzman, Emperor of France, dies at 94
• 1920 - John A "Jacky" Kilverston, adm/designer (dreadnought), dies at 79
• 1924 - Johannes B van Heutsz, gov-gen of Dutch Indies (1904-09), dies at 73
• 1927 - Kevin O'Higgins, Irish Free State VP, assassinated
• 1937 - Attilio Brugnoli, composer, dies at 56
• 1937 - Johan[nes] B Schepers, Fries writer (Braga), dies at 71
• 1940 - Donald Francis Tovey, English musicologist/composer, dies at 64
• 1941 - Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton, pioneer jazz pianist, dies in LA at 56
• 1943 - Arthur Finlay Nevin, composer, dies at 72
• 1945 - Robert Goddard, Rocket pioneer, dies
• 1952 - Rued Immanuel Langgaard, composer, dies at 58
• 1953 - Sidney Homer, composer, dies at 88
• 1955 - Henry W Methorst, Dutch director (Central Bureau of Statistic), dies
• 1957 - Sholem Asch, Polish/Israeli writer (East River), dies at 77
• 1963 - John Sutton, actor (Of Human Bondage), dies of heart attack at 54
• 1965 - Jacques Audiberti, French poet (Le cavalier seul), dies at 66
• 1967 - Albertine Sarrazin, French author (La TraversiŠre), dies at 29
• 1971 - Harry M O'Connor, dies of pneumonia at 98
• 1971 - Mohamed Madbouh, Moroccan general/putschist, shot to death
• 1975 - Achiel H van Acker, Belgian premier (1945-46, 1954-58), dies at 77
• 1977 - Norman Paris, orch leader (For Your Pleasure), dies at 41
• 1978 - Michel Gusikoff, composer, dies at 85
• 1979 - Arthur Fiedler, orch leader (Boston Pops), dies at 84
• 1982 - Gustav MR von Koenigswald, German/Dutch paleontologist, dies at 79
• 1982 - Maria Jeritza, [Jedlicka], Aust/US, singer (Metropolitan Opera), dies
• 1983 - Werner Egk, German composer (Die Zaubergeige), dies at 82
• 1985 - Fernando Pereira, military activist, murdered
• 1987 - John Hammond, Jazz reviewer (Melody Maker), dies at 76
• 1988 - Errol John, playwright, dies at 63
• 1989 - Mel Blanc, cartoon voice (Warner Bros cartoons), dies at 81
• 1989 - Thomas E "Tommy" Trinder, English comic (Bitter Springs), dies at 80
• 1990 - Hans Faverey, poet, dies
• 1990 - Irene Champlin, dies after long illness at 59
• 1991 - Gerome Ragal, author (Hair), dies of cancer at 48
• 1993 - Masugi Ibuse, Japanese author (Kuroi ame (Black rain)), dies at 95
• 1993 - Ruth Krauss, author (Carrot Seed), dies at 91
• 1994 - Earl Strum, referee (NBA), dies of brain cancer at 66
• 1994 - Otto Bonsema, soccer star/trainer (GVAV, Veendam), dies at 84
• 1995 - Hugh Dundas, fighter pilot/businessman, dies at 74
• 1996 - Eladio Rusconi, writer/publisher/businessman, dies at 79