• 1502 - Hendrik Niclaes, German/Dutch merchant/cult leader (Children of God)
• 1628 - Jan Theunisz Blanckerhoff, [Jan Maet], seascape painter)
• 1635 - Willem … Brakel, Frisian theologist (Reasonable religion)
• 1638 - Niels Stensen, Danish astronomer
• 1644 - Louis Boufflers, marshall of France
• 1683 - Gasparo Visconti, composer
• 1701 - Johann Caspar Simon, composer
• 1738 - Ethan Allen, Revolutionary War fighter (lead the Green Mtn Boys)
• 1747 - Abraham L Breguet, French clock maker
• 1760 - Johann Rudolf Zumsteeg, composer
• 1766 - Louis Massonneau, composer
• 1768 - James Varicick, 1st AME Zion Bishop
• 1769 - Michel Ney, French marshal (Waterloo)
• 1778 - Carolus Linnaeus, Swedish botanist (naming plants & animals)
• 1780 - M Heinrich C Lichtenstein, German zoologist
• 1797 - A V Droste-Hlshoff, writer
• 1814 - Aubrey de Vere, Irish writer (Victorian Observer)
• 1815 - Alexander Brydie Dyer, Bvt Major General (Union Army), died in 1874
• 1815 - Thomas Williams, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1862
• 1825 - Alexander Travis Hawthorn, Brig Gen (Confederate Army), died in 1899
• 1834 - John Acton, English historian/MP
• 1854 - Peter Gast, composer
• 1855 - Peter J Blok, Dutch historian (History of the Dutch People)
• 1858 - Heinrich Zille, German cartoonist (Cheerful Bl„tter, Simplicissimus)
• 1864 - George Washington Carver, agricultural scientist [or Jul 12]
• 1867 - Gerhard Anschtz, German MP
• 1871 - Enrica Freiin von Handel-Manzetti, Austrian author (Jesse & Maria)
• 1876 - Johannes W "Jan" Eisenloeffel, Dutch goldsmith
• 1877 - Frederick Gardner Cottrell, inventor (elecrostatic precipitator)
• 1880 - Eduard M Meijers, Dutch lawyer (Short Cause)
• 1880 - French van Cauwelaert, Flemish minister/mayor of Antwerp
• 1880 - Grock, [Adrien Wettach], Swiss clown/circus director
• 1880 - Manuel Aza¤a y D”az, PM/pres of 2nd Spanish republic (1936-39)
• 1882 - Charles Trowbridge, Vera Cruz Mexico, actor (Fatal Hour)
• 1883 - Aleksei Tolstoi, Russian poet/writer (Pjotr Peroyj) [NS]
• 1883 - Florence Reed, Phila, silent film actress (Dancing Girl)
• 1883 - Francis X Bushman, Norfolk VA, silent film actor (Ben Hur)
• 1884 - James Philip Dunn, composer
• 1886 - Jose Antonio de Donostia, composer
• 1887 - Robinson Jeffers, US, poet/playwright (Tamar & Other Poems, Medea)
• 1888 - Emile van Bosch, Dutch revue/operetta-artist (Fair Folks)
• 1888 - Grock, Switzerland, clown
• 1890 - Douglas MacLean, Phila, silent film comedian/producer (Going Up)
• 1890 - Ernest Milton, SF CA, actor (Cat Girl, Fiddler's Three)
• 1891 - Jos Speybrouck, Flemish painter
• 1892 - Dumas Malone, Miss, historian (Jefferson & His Time)
• 1894 - Reginald Denham, London, Broadway director (Obsession, The Bad Seed)
• 1897 - Albert Moeschinger, composer
• 1898 - Sergei M Eisenstein, Russian director (Alexandr Nevski) [OS]
• 1901 - Pauline Starke, Joplin MO, actress (Dante's Inferno, Dance Magic)
• 1903 - Barbara Hepworth, English abstract sculptor/actress (Rescued by Rover)
• 1903 - Jean Morel, Abbeville France, conductor
• 1903 - Jens A Schade, Danish writer (Schadebogen, Losses Hķjsang)
• 1904 - Jesus Garcia Leoz, composer
• 1904 - Ray Bolger, Dorchester Mass, actor/dancer (Wizard of Oz)
• 1908 - Bernard Lee, London England, actor (M in James Bond movies)
• 1908 - Paul Henreid, Trieste, actor (Casablanca, 4 Horsemen of Apocalypse)
• 1909 - Grace Mitchell, educator
• 1909 - Rudolf Kubin, composer
• 1910 - Dorothy Stroud, garden historian
• 1910 - Galina Ulanova, St Petersburg Russia, ballerina (Bolshoi)
• 1910 - Jean Martinon, Lyons France, conductor/composer
• 1911 - Jan Boon, [Tjalie Robinson], Dutch East Indies publicist (Tong Tong)
• 1913 - Gustav Husak, president of Czechoslavakia (1975-89)
• 1913 - Haywood Frank Henry, sax player
• 1914 - Claude Gallimard, France, publisher
• 1914 - Polly Rowles, Phila Pa, actress (Aunt Laurie-Jamie)
• 1915 - Dean Dixon, Zug Switzerland, conductor
• 1917 - Jerry Wexler, music producer (Aretha Franklin/Bob Dylan)
• 1920 - Georges Marchal, Nancy France, actor (Evil Eden, Gina, Milky Way)
• 1923 - Ingeborg Drewitz, writer
• 1924 - Ludmilla Chiraeff, ballet dancer
• 1925 - Maxwell Roach, composer
• 1927 - Gisele MacKenzie, Winnipeg Manitoba, singer/actress (Your Hit Parade)
• 1927 - Johnnie Ray, Dallas OR, pop singer (Cry)
• 1927 - Lee Philips, Bkln NY, actor (Ellery Queen)
• 1928 - Donald Brooks, fashion designer (Emmy 1983)
• 1928 - Wallace Berry, composer
• 1930 - Byron "Wild Child" Gipson, blues singer
• 1930 - Roy E Disney, CEO (Disney)
• 1931 - Alexander L "Alex" Boraine, S Africa vicar/MP
• 1931 - Ron Galella, celebrity photographer (sued by Jackie O)
• 1933 - Akira Miyoshi, composer
• 1933 - Len Coldwell, cricket bowler (Engld medium-fast in 7 Tests 1962-64)
• 1933 - Leonard John Coldwell, cricketer
• 1935 - Georg Katzer, composer
• 1935 - Ronnie Hawkins, Ark, rocker (The Band-Who Do You Love?)
• 1935 - Sherrill Milnes, Hinsdale Illinois, baritone
• 1938 - Francis W "Frank" Mahovlich, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1938 - Frank Mahovlich, NHL Hall of Famer (Mont Canadians)
• 1938 - Ivan Twigden, English contractor/multi-millionaire (Twigden PLC)
• 1938 - Willie "Stretch" McCovey, 1st baseman (SF Giant #44)
• 1939 - Bill Toomey, Phila Pa, decathelete (Olympic-gold-68)
• 1939 - Sal Mineo, NYC, actor (Exodus, Rebel Without a Cause)
• 1940 - Harry Gant, NASCAR driver
• 1942 - Aleksandr Yakovlevich Petrushenko, Russia, cosmonaut
• 1942 - Jack Regan, broadcaster
• 1942 - Jim Croce, Phila, rock vocalist (Time in a Bottle)
• 1942 - Walter Hill, director (48 Hours, Extreme Prejudice)
• 1945 - Frank Sinatra Jr, Jersey City NJ, singer/bandleader (Golddigers)
• 1945 - Rod Stewart, London, singer (Maggie Mae, Do You Think I'm Sexy)
• 1946 - Alexis Nihon Jr, Bahamas, wrestler (Olympics-1968)
• 1946 - Aynsley Dunbar, rocker (Journey, Jefferson Starship)
• 1946 - Bob Lang, rock bassist (Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders)
• 1947 - George Alec Effinger, US, sci-fi author (Nick of Time)
• 1948 - Cyril Neville, US singer/percussionist (Neville Bros-Yellow Moon)
• 1948 - Donald Fagen, Passaic NJ, rock vocalist/keyboardist (Steely Dan-Peg)
• 1948 - William Sanderson, Memphis Tenn, actor (Larry-Newhart, Blade Runner)
• 1949 - George Foreman, Houston Tx, world HW boxing champ (1973-74, 95)
• 1949 - Teresa Graves, Houston Tx, actress (Laugh-in, Get Christie Love)
• 1949 - Walter S Browne, US chess champion (1974-78, 1980-84)
• 1950 - Cyril Neville, rocker (Neville Brothers)
• 1951 - Kathleen Bradley, Youngstown Oh, model (Price is Right)
• 1952 - Scott Thurston, keyboardist/guitarist (Motels-Only the Lonely)
• 1953 - Bobby Rahal, Indy-car racer (over 15 wins)
• 1953 - Pat Benatar, [Andrezejewski], Bkln NY, singer (Hell Is for Children)
• 1955 - Luci Martin, rocker vocalist (Chic)
• 1955 - Michael Schenker, heavy metal rocker (MSG-Coming on Strong, Scorpions)
• 1957 - Robert Thompson, Houston TX, Nike golfer (1990 Boise Open-2nd)
• 1958 - Shawn Colvin, singer/guitarist
• 1959 - Chandra Cheesborough, Jacksonville Fla, 4X100 runner (Olympic-gold-84)
• 1959 - Don Letts, rocker (Big Audio Dynamite)
• 1959 - Kirk & Curtwood, musician (Meat Puppets)
• 1961 - Evan Handler, NYC, actor (Dear Mr Wonderful)
• 1961 - Janet Jones, Bridgeton MO, actress (American Anthem, Flamingo Kid)
• 1961 - Nadja Salerni-Sonnenberg, Rome Italy, concert violinist
• 1962 - Jim Lindeman, US baseball outfielder (NY Mets)
• 1963 - Frank Wijnhoven, Dutch soccer player (NEC, Treffers)
• 1964 - Karen Josephson, Bristol Ct, synchronized swimmer (Olympic-gold-1992)
• 1964 - Krista Tesreau, St Louis Mo, actress (Tina-OLTL, Silk Stalkings)
• 1964 - Sarah Josephson, Bristol Ct, synchronized swimmer (Olympic-gold-1992)
• 1965 - James Washington, NFL safety (Dallas Cowboys, Wash Redskins)
• 1965 - Nathan, rocker (Brother Beyond-Can You Keep a Secret)
• 1967 - Mick Hankers, Dutch dancer (Josephine, Sound of Motown)
• 1967 - Micky Michelle, [Ingrid Hankers], Dutch dancer (Josephine)
• 1967 - Trini Alvarado, actor (Frighteners)
• 1968 - Lyle Menendez, NY, accused of killing his parents (Menendez Brothers)
• 1968 - Malcolm Showell, WLAF defensive end (Amsterdam Admirals)
• 1969 - Doug E Doug, rapper/comedian (Operation Dumbo Drop, Jungle Fever)
• 1969 - Juanita Clayton, Manitou Manitoba, softball catcher (Olympics-96)
• 1970 - Cameron MacKenzie, Australian 100m/200m/400m (Olympics-96)
• 1970 - Deon Figures, NFL cornerback/PR (Pitts Steelers)
• 1970 - James Wilson, WLAF defensive end (Rhein Fire)
• 1971 - Guylaine Cloutier, Levis QUE, 100m breaststroke swimmer (Oly-4-92, 96)
• 1971 - Sergi Bruguera, Italy, tennis star
• 1972 - Thomas Lewis, NFL wide receiver (NY Giants)
• 1973 - Berry Radstraat, Dutch soccer player (NEC, SCH)
• 1973 - Glenn Robinson, Gary In, NBA forward (Milw, Olympics-gold-96)
• 1973 - Travis Davis, NFL strong safety (NO Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars)
• 1974 - Andre Kirwan, CFL receiver (Toronto Argonauts)
• 1974 - Hollis Thomas, defensive tackle (Philadelphia Eagles)
• 1975 - Shannon Kavanaugh, Boston Mass, rocker (Ivory Soul)
• 1979 - Chris H E Smith, [Daddy Mack], Atlanta, rapper (Kris Kross-Warm it Up)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0681 - Agatho, Sicilian pope (678-81), dies
• 0866 - Lin-chi I-hsuan, [J Rinzai Gigen], Zen teacher, dies
• 0976 - John I Tzimisces, co-emperor of Byzantium (969-76), dies at 51
• 1271 - Otto II, the Lame, earl of Gelre, dies
• 1276 - Gregorius X, [Tedaldo Visconti], pope, dies
• 1542 - Gerardus Noviomagus, [Gerrit Geldenhauer], Dutch theologist, die at 59
• 1645 - William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, beheaded for treason at 71
• 1674 - Jacob de Witt, Dutch mayor (Dordrecht)/MP, dies at 84
• 1754 - Daniel Raap, Dutch porcelain salesman/politician, dies at about 51
• 1768 - Charles Cressent, French court furniture maker, dies at 82
• 1775 - Jemeljan Pugatshov, Russian kosak leader/"czar Peter III", dies
• 1778 - Carolus Lin‘us "Carl von Linn‚", Swedish botanist/explorer, dies at 70
• 1780 - Francesco Antonio Vallotti, Italian organist/composer, dies at 82
• 1789 - Pierre Lyonet, Dutch zoologist/cryptologist, dies at 82
• 1792 - Jean-Louis Laruette, composer, dies at 60
• 1800 - Johan Wikmanson, composer, dies at 46
• 1811 - Marie-Joseph de Ch‚nier, French poet (Chant du D‚part), dies at 46
• 1824 - Victor Emanuel I, king of Sardinia (1802-21), dies at 64
• 1833 - Adrien Marie Legendre, dies
• 1833 - Antoinio da Silva Leite, composer, dies at 73
• 1846 - Etienne P de Senancour, French writer (De l'Amour), dies at 75
• 1855 - Mary Russell Mitford, Engl playwright/poet (Julian), dies at 67
• 1862 - Samuel Colt, inventor (6 shot revolver), dies at 47
• 1871 - Pierre A du Terrail, French writer, dies at 41
• 1876 - Charles EH de Coussemaker, Belgian musicologist/historian, dies at 70
• 1889 - Martin Andreas Udbye, composer, dies at 68
• 1892 - Heinrich Ludwig Egmont Dorn, composer, dies at 91
• 1895 - Benjamin Louis Paul Godard, composer, dies at 45
• 1899 - Gerard Keller, Dutch writer (Vlugmaren), dies at 69
• 1908 - Anna S Barbiers, Dutch actress (Klaasje Zevenster), dies at 65
• 1917 - Buffalo Bill Cody,, army scout & Indian fighter, dies
• 1927 - August(us) Alleb‚, Dutch painter/lithograph, dies at 88
• 1934 - Marinus van der Lubbe, Dutch communist, beheaded in Berlin at 24
• 1935 - Charlie McGahey, cricket (MCC tour of Aus 1901-02 cured his TB), dies
• 1935 - Edwin H Flack, English 800/1500m runner (Oly-gold-1896), dies at 60
• 1936 - Charles Wright, cricketer (3 Tests England v S Africa 1895-96), dies
• 1938 - Willem de Vreese, Flemish linguist, dies at 68
• 1939 - Jameson Thomas, actor (Piccadilly, Farmer's Wife), dies at 50
• 1939 - Julius Bittner, Austria composer (Missa Austriaca), dies at 64
• 1941 - Frank Bridge, English violinist/composer (Sea), dies at 61
• 1941 - Joseph Schmidlin, German church historian, murdered at 67
• 1943 - Agustin P Justo y Rolon, pres Argentina (1931-38), dies at 66
• 1943 - J Arthur S Berson, Austrian meteorologist, dies at 83
• 1945 - Rudolf Borchardt, writer, dies at 67
• 1951 - Athos Palma, composer, dies at 59
• 1951 - Harry Sinclair Lewis, US writer (Nobel 1930), dies at 65
• 1951 - Sinclair Lewis, writer, dies at 65
• 1953 - Theo Mackeben, German pianist/composer (Golden Cage), dies at 56
• 1954 - Fred Raymond, composer, dies at 53
• 1956 - Henricus P Bremmer, Dutch art historian (Beeldende Kunst), dies at 84
• 1956 - Karl L Schmidt, German/Swiss theologist (Urchristentum), dies at 64
• 1957 - Gabriela Mistral, Chilean poet (Nobel Prize 1945), dies at 67
• 1958 - Charles de Trooz, Belgian writer, dies at 52
• 1961 - Dashiell Hammett, US detective writer (Thin Man), dies at 66
• 1963 - Tadeusz Szeligowski, composer, dies at 66
• 1964 - A Marja, Dutch author (Man of Day & Night), dies at 46
• 1966 - George Cresswell, cricketer (Took 13 wkts in 3 Tests for NZ), suicide
• 1966 - Hermann Kasack, writer, dies at 69
• 1967 - Emerson Treacy, actor (Prowler), dies after surgery at 66
• 1967 - Vilem Petrzelka, composer, dies at 77
• 1968 - Basil Sydney, actor (Hamlet, Simba), dies of pleurisy at 73
• 1968 - Howard Smith, actor (Harvey Griffin-Hazel), dies at 74
• 1968 - Josue Teofilo Wilkes, composer, dies at 85
• 1968 - Louis-Fran‡ois-Marie Aubert, French composer (La Momie), dies at 90
• 1968 - Theophilus E D”nges, South Afr Internal minister, dies at 69
• 1970 - Pavel Ivanovich Belyayev, USSR, cosmonaut (Voskhod II), dies at 44
• 1971 - Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, French fashion designer, dies at 87
• 1972 - Al Goodman, Russian/US orch leader (NBC Comedy Hour), dies at 81
• 1972 - Georg Rendl, Austriam miner/beekeeper (Satan on Earth), dies at 68
• 1972 - Sverre Jordan, composer, dies at 82
• 1976 - Chester Arthur Burnett, US blues pianist/harmonica player, dies at 65
• 1976 - Howlin' Wolf, singer/guitarist, dies following brain surgery at 65
• 1978 - Don Gillis, US composer (Symphony #5«), dies at 65
• 1978 - John D Rockefeller III, US billionaire/philanthropist, dies at 71
• 1978 - Pedro Joaqu”n Chamorro, of La Prensa, assassinated in Managua
• 1978 - Zeb Turner, country-rock performer (Chew Tobacco Rag), dies at 62
• 1980 - George Meany, labor leader, dies at 86
• 1981 - Richard Boone, actor (Paladin-Have Gun Will Travel), dies at 63
• 1982 - Lazar Weiner, composer, dies at 84
• 1982 - Paul Lynde, comedian (Uncle Arthur-Bewitched), dies at 55
• 1984 - Suvanna Phuma, premier of Laos, dies at 82
• 1986 - Joseph Kraft, US columnist, dies at 61
• 1990 - Juliet Berto, screenwriter/actress (Bastienne Bastien), dies at 42
• 1990 - Yvonne Peattie Marquard, actress (Donovan's Reef), dies
• 1991 - Dimitris Myrat, dies of cancer at 62
• 1992 - Barbara Couper, British actress (Last Days of Dolwyn), dies at 89
• 1993 - Diana Adams, ballerina, dies
• 1993 - Noorjahan Begum, "adulterous" wife in Bangladesh, stoned to death
• 1994 - Catharina I "Ien" Dales, min of Internal affairs (1989-94), dies at 62
• 1994 - Charles "Chub" Feeney, baseball pres (National League), dies at 72
• 1994 - Michael Aldridge, actor (Murder in the Cathedral), dies at 73
• 1995 - Elaine Greene, literary Agent, dies at 74
• 1995 - Halton Kathleen Tynan, writer, dies at 57
• 1995 - Souphanouvong, leader of Pathet Lao (1957), dies
• 1996 - Alexander Robertus, organic chemist, dies at 88
• 1996 - Arthur Sydney Martin, spycatcher, dies at 81
• 1997 - Alvinio Misciano, Italian tenor, killed in a fall from a window
• 1997 - Elspeth Josceline Huxley, writer, dies at 96
• 1997 - George Young, footballer, dies at 74
• 1997 - Hilary Grover Barratt Brown, conservationist, dies at 71