• 1578 - Agostino Agazzari, composer
• 1678 - Nicolaas S Cruquius, Dutch hydraulic engineer (drained Haarlemmermeer)
• 1728 - Ferdinando Galiani, Italian economist/philosopher/diplomat
• 1760 - Joseph Graetz, composer
• 1777 - Henry Doeff, colonialist (wrote Dutch-Japanese dictionary)
• 1802 - Melancthon Smith Wade, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1868
• 1813 - Jacob Rosenhaim, composer
• 1821 - Rufus Barringer, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1895
• 1825 - JKLSBFXvPSMGRG Pedro II van Alcantara, Emperor of Brazil (1831-89)
• 1837 - Charles Garrison Harker, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1864
• 1846 - Pierre M Waldeck-Rousseau, French Min of Foreign affairs/premier
• 1856 - Robert Kajanus, composer
• 1859 - Georges Seurat, France, painter/pointillist (Grande Jatte)
• 1860 - C T Studd, cricketer (brother of G B, five Tests for England)
• 1863 - Gustav Wohlgemuth, composer
• 1866 - Henry Thacker Burleigh, Erie Pa, black composer (Springarn Medal)
• 1868 - Francis Jammes, French poet/writer (Jammisme)
• 1869 - Jonas Cohn, German/English philosopher (Theory of the Dialects)
• 1870 - Francis Louis Casadesus, French violinist/composer/conductor
• 1875 - Frank Reicher, Munich Germany, actor (King Kong, Son of Kong)
• 1884 - Ruth Draper, US, lecture artist [or 1989]
• 1885 - George Minot, US, physician, worked on anemia (Nobel 1934)
• 1885 - Nˇkos Kazantazakˇs, Greece, writer (Zorba, Last Temptation of Christ)
• 1892 - Leo Ornstein, composer
• 1893 - Julius Bissier, German painter
• 1893 - Louis Freeman, band leader
• 1893 - William Gaxton, SF Calif, actor (Destry, Convoy)
• 1894 - Warren William, [Krech], Aitkin MN, actor (C‘sar in Cleopatra)
• 1895 - Klaas Voskuil, journalist
• 1896 - Georgi K Zjukov, marshal of Moskow/Stalingrad [NS-Dec 11]
• 1897 - Rewi Alley, NZ, writer (Americans in China)
• 1899 - John Barbirolli, English conductor (NY Philharmonic Orchestra)
• 1901 - Staf Gustaf Frans Nees, Belgian composer
• 1901 - Staff Nees, Flemish organist/composer (Simon Peter)
• 1902 - Horace A Hildreth, (Gov-Maine, 1945-49)
• 1902 - Miroslav Ponc, composer
• 1904 - Donald Woods, Brandon Manitoba, actor (Tammy)
• 1905 - Osvaldo Pugliese, musician/composer
• 1906 - Eric Dalton, cricketer (2 centuries in 15 Tests for S Africa 1929-39)
• 1906 - John Bentley, England, actor (Hammer the Tuff)
• 1906 - Peter Carl Goldmark, developed color TV & LP records
• 1908 - Robert F Simon, Mansfield Oh, actor (Man who shot Liberty Valance)
• 1908 - Rufe Davis, OK, actor (Cocoanut Grove, Trail Blazers, Gangs of Sonora)
• 1910 - Robert Paige, Indianapolis Ind, actor (Colgate Comedy Hour)
• 1914 - Eddie Sauter, Bkln, musician (Sauter-Finegan Band, Sat Night Revue)
• 1914 - Ray Walston, Laurel MS, actor (My Favorite Martian)
• 1915 - Adolph Green, songwriter (married to Phyllis Newman)
• 1915 - Nico Richter, composer
• 1915 - Randolph Hearst, newspaper publisher
• 1916 - John Bentley, Warwickshire England, actor (Chair)
• 1917 - Ezra Stone, US, actor/producer (Henry Aldrich)
• 1918 - Milton Delugg, LA Calif, orch leader (Tonight Show)
• 1919 - Michael Geoffrey Corcos, medical researcher
• 1920 - Robert Moevs, composer
• 1922 - Leo V Gordon, Baltimore MD, actor (Circus Boy, Enos, Winds of War)
• 1923 - Maria M Callas, NYC, soprano (Carmen) [or 12/4]
• 1923 - Meshulam Riklis, husband of Pia Zadora
• 1924 - Alexander Haig Jr, Bala-Cynwyd Pa, US Sec of State (1981-82)/General
• 1924 - Jonathan Frid, actor (Barnabas Collins-Dark Shadows)
• 1925 - Julie Harris, Grosse Pt Mich, actress (Bell Jar, East of Eden)
• 1929 - Harvey Phillips, Aurora Missouri, tubist (NYC Ballet Orch)
• 1929 - Jaap Boersma, Dutch minister for Social Affairs (ARP)
• 1929 - Lowell North, Springfield Mass, yachtsman (Olympic-Gold-1968)
• 1931 - Edwin Meese III, prude, US attorney General (1985-88)
• 1935 - Jurg Wyttenbach, composer
• 1936 - Peter Michael Braun, composer
• 1937 - Brian Lumley, England, sci-fi author (Compleat Crow, Psychomech)
• 1940 - Gerry Cheevers, NHL goalie (Bruin, longest undefeated streak-32 games)
• 1940 - Willie Brown, NFL defensive back (Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders)
• 1941 - Paul C W Chu, China, physicist (superconductivity)
• 1941 - Tom McGuiness, rocker (McGuiness-Flint)
• 1942 - Bob E Smith, Sacramento CA, PGA golfer (1993 Yanase Cup)
• 1942 - Ted Bluechel, San Pedro Ca, rock vocalist/drummer (Association)
• 1943 - David Munden, rocker
• 1944 - Botho Strauá, writer
• 1944 - Cathy Lee Crosby, LA, actress (Coach, That's Incredible)
• 1944 - Roger Omond, journalist
• 1945 - Alan "Froggy" Thomson, cricketer (Australian quickie 1970-71)
• 1946 - Gianne Versace, fashion designer (Versace)
• 1947 - Dhiraj Parsana, cricket pace bowler (Indian v WI 1978-79)
• 1947 - Michael Green, English TV/video producer
• 1950 - Merrill Ashley, St Paul Minn, ballerina (NYC Ballet)
• 1952 - Keith Szarabajka, Oak Park IL, actor (Nightlife)
• 1952 - Michael McDonald, St Louis, rock keyboardist/vocals (Doobie Brothers)
• 1953 - Jay Dean Haas, St Louis MO, PGA golfer (1978 Andy Williams-San Diego)
• 1953 - Meg Griffin, DJ (WNEW-FM, WPLJ-FM, WKRK-FM)/VJ (V-1)
• 1953 - Myung-Whan Chung, Seoul Korea, pianist (Chung Sisters)
• 1954 - Dan Butler, actor (Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe-Frasier)
• 1954 - Danielle Alexander, Ft Worth Tx, country music pianist
• 1954 - Huub Stapel, Dutch actor (Amsterdamned, Attic: Hiding of Anne Frank)
• 1954 - Stone Phillips, news host (NBC Dateline)
• 1955 - Dennis Christopher, Phila, actor (Breaking Away, California Dreaming)
• 1956 - Steven Bauer, Havana Cuba, actor (Scarface, Thief of Hearts)
• 1958 - Vladimir Parfenovich, USSR, 500m kayak (Olympic-gold-1980)
• 1959 - Greg Barton, kayak (Olympics-2 gold-88)
• 1959 - Patty Jordan, Buffalo NY, LPGA golfer (1988 Mitsubishi Motors Ocean)
• 1960 - Rick Savage, bass player (Def Leppard-Hysteria, Rock of Ages)
• 1964 - Brian Habib, NFL guard (Denver Broncos-Superbowl 32)
• 1964 - Chip Hale, Santa Clara CA, infielder (Minn Twins)
• 1964 - Yolanda Henry, Houston Texas, high jumper
• 1965 - Karrie Mitchell, Arvada Colorado, Miss Colorado-America (1991-top 10)
• 1966 - Anita Jokiel, Poland, gymnist (Olympic-1980)
• 1966 - Clive Eksteen, cricketer (South African slow left-armer 1993)
• 1966 - Kelly Buchberger, Langenburg, NHL left wing (Edmonton Oilers)
• 1966 - Rob Sullivan, Chicago Ill, Canadian Tour golfer (1991 Tri-City Pro-Am)
• 1966 - Zeke Jones, Yipsilanti Mich, 114« lbs freestyle wrestler (Oly-96)
• 1967 - Naeem Akhtar, Rawalpindi cricket medium-pacer (10-28 vs Peshawar 1995)
• 1967 - Sharry Konopski, Longview Wash, playmate (August, 1987)
• 1968 - Darryl Kile, Garden Grove CA, pitcher (Houston Astros)
• 1968 - Elna Reinach, Pretoria S Africa, tennis star
• 1968 - Jiri Dopita, Sumperk CZE, hockey forward (Team Czech Oly-Gold-1998)
• 1968 - Mark Harding, Bath England, keeper of Internet biographies
• 1968 - Rena Sofer, actress (Rocky-Loving, Lois Cerullo-General Hospital)
• 1968 - Rene‚ Tenison, Caldwell Id, playmate of the year (Nov, 1989)
• 1969 - Lewis Bush, NFL outside linebacker (SD Chargers)
• 1969 - O J McDuffie, NFL wide receiver (Miami Dolphins)
• 1969 - Paul Francis Stankowski, Oxnard CA, PGA golfer (1994 Las Vegas-5th)
• 1970 - Rene Pucher, Presov CZE, hockey forward (Team Slovakia)
• 1971 - Jessie Hicks, WNBA forward/center (Utah Starzz)
• 1971 - Rachel McQuillan, Merewether NSW Aust, tennis star (1989 Futures ITA)
• 1971 - Roy van de Hill, soccer player (Roda JC)
• 1972 - Alan Henderson, NBA forward (Atlanta Hawks)
• 1972 - Chris Burns, CFL tackle (Calgary Stampeders)
• 1972 - James Willis, linebacker (Philadelphia Eagles)
• 1972 - Sunjith Somasunder, cricketer (Karnataka & India ODI opening bat 1996)
• 1972 - Zack Crockett, NFL running back (Indianapolis Colts)
• 1973 - Kevin Feighery, NFL/WLAF punter (NY Giants, Panthers, Galaxy)
• 1973 - Monica Seles, Novi Sad Yugoslavia, tennis star (US Open 1992)
• 1975 - Brett Lindros, London, NHL right wing (NY Islanders)
• 1975 - Mark Kotsay, Whittier CA, baseball outfielder (Olympics-bronze-96)
• 1976 - Jennifer Robinson, Barrie Ontario, (1996 Canadian Champ)
• 1988 - Edward EMG baron Downpatrick, grandson of English prince Edward

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0537 - Sylvester, Italian Pope (536-37), dies
• 1463 - Albrecht VI, archduke of Habsburg, dies
• 1515 - Gonzalo de C˘rdoba, Spanish general/strategist/viceroy of Naples, dies
• 1592 - Alexander Farnese, land guardian of Neth (1579-92), dies at 46
• 1719 - Pasquier Quesnel, French theologist (La Foi), dies at 85
• 1723 - Philip, French duke of Orl‚ans/regent (1715-23)/PM (1723), dies
• 1763 - Carl August Thielo, composer, dies at 56
• 1774 - Johann Friedrich Agricola, German (court)composer/organist, dies at 54
• 1814 - Marquis de Sade, writer, dies at 74
• 1828 - Simon Paap, Dutch 56 cm long dwarf/cabaret artist, dies at 39
• 1831 - Traugott Maximilian Eberwein, composer, dies at 56
• 1845 - Johannes Simon Mayr, composer, dies at 82
• 1859 - John Brown, US abolitionist (Harpers Ferry), hanged at 59
• 1864 - Archibald Gracie Jr, Confederate brig-general, dies in battle at 31
• 1880 - Josephine Lang, composer, dies at 65
• 1888 - Franz Xaver Witt, composer, dies at 54
• 1888 - Mehmed N Kemal Bey, Turkish writer/journalist (Vatan), dies at 47
• 1903 - Victor Roger, composer, dies at 50
• 1915 - Jan Malat, composer, dies at 72
• 1916 - Francesco Paolo Tosti, composer, dies at 69
• 1918 - Margit Kaffka, writer, dies at 38
• 1919 - Henry Clay Frick, built largest coke & steel operation, dies at 69
• 1923 - Tomas Breton y Hernandez, composer, dies at 72
• 1925 - Julio Garreta, composer, dies at 50
• 1931 - Paul-Marie-Theodore-Vincent D'indy, French count/composer, dies at 80
• 1933 - Josef Gruber, composer, dies at 78
• 1935 - Albert Kessel, 1st to die in Calif gas chamber
• 1943 - Nordahl Grieg, writer, dies
• 1944 - Filippo T Marinetti, Italian writer (father of futurism), dies at 67
• 1944 - JW Ummels, Dutch resistance fighter (House of Saxon-Nazi), dies
• 1950 - Dino Lipatti, composer, dies at 33
• 1953 - Ernest Hayes, cricketer (Surrey bat played 5 Tests for England), dies
• 1953 - Francis Picabia, French painter/illustrator, dies at 75
• 1957 - Harrison Ford, silent screen actor (Rubber Tires), dies at 73
• 1963 - Sabu Sabu, actor (Jungle Book, Drums), dies of heart attack at 39
• 1964 - Roger BissiŠre, French painter, dies at 76
• 1965 - The Rajkumar of Vizianagram, cricketer (Indian Test capt 1936), dies
• 1966 - Luitzen [Bertus] Brouwers, Dutch mathematician, dies at 85
• 1967 - Francis J "Cardinal" Spellman, archbishop of NY, dies at 78
• 1969 - Kliment J Voroshilov, president USSR (1953-60), dies
• 1970 - Dora Paulen, German/Dutch cabaretiŠre, dies at about 72
• 1972 - Friedrich Christian Christiansen, German Luftwaffe general, dies
• 1972 - Jos‚ Lim˘n, Mexican/US dancer (moor's pavane), dies at 64
• 1974 - Sofie-Carmen Eckhardt-Gramatte, composer, dies at 72
• 1976 - Danny Murtaugh, baseball manager (Pitts Pirates), dies at 59
• 1976 - William Tannen, actor (Jailhouse Rock, Sitting Bull), dies at 65
• 1979 - Vasily Pavlovich Solov'yov-Sedoy, composer, dies at 72
• 1981 - Hershy Kay, composer, dies at 62
• 1981 - Nicolaas "Cola" Debrot, gov of Dutch Antilles (1962-70), dies at 79
• 1981 - Wallace K[irkman] Harrison, US architect (UN), dies at 86
• 1982 - David Blue, rocker, dies while jogging in Greenwich Village at 41
• 1982 - Marty Feldman, comedian (Young Frankenstein), dies at 49
• 1983 - Atholl Mckinnon, cricketer (S African lefty spinner in 8 Tests), dies
• 1983 - Fifi D'Orsay, "French Bombshell" (Dixie Jamboree), dies cancer at 79
• 1985 - Alex Courtney, actor (Sword of Justice), dies
• 1985 - Philip Larkin, [hermit of Hull], English poet, dies at 63
• 1986 - Desi Arnaz, actor (Ricky Ricardo-I Love Lucy), dies at 69 of cancer
• 1986 - Lee Dorsey, R&B singer, dies at 59
• 1990 - Aaron Copeland, composer (Fanfare for Common Man), dies at 90
• 1990 - Robert Cummings, actor (Love that Bob), dies of kidney failure at 82
• 1992 - Gary Mascaro, choreographer, dies at 43
• 1992 - Loek Elfferich, Dutch journalist/historian (Treason in Rotterdam), die
• 1993 - Pablo Escobar Gaviria, Colombian drug baron, shot to death at 44
• 1994 - Donald John Urquhart, librarian, dies at 85
• 1994 - James Norman Dalrymple Anderson, lawyer, dies at 86
• 1995 - Francis Joseph Quinn, academic, dies at 90
• 1995 - Roxie Roker, actress (Helen Willis-Jeffersons), dies at 66
• 1995 - Stanley Devon, photographer, dies at 88
• 1995 - [William] Robertson Davies, novelist essayist/dramatist, dies
• 1996 - Penelope Jessel, politcal activist, dies at 76