• 1466 - Desiderius Erasmus, Holland, scholar/author (In Praise of Folly)
• 1483 - Hans Buchner, composer
• 1645 - Aert de Gelder, Dutch painter (King David)
• 1673 - Dimitrie Cantemir, Romanians historian/monarch of Moldova (1710-11)
• 1685 - Domenico Scarlatti, Naples Italy, composer/harpsichordist
• 1685 - Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti, composer
• 1694 - Johan Helmich Roman, Finnish/Swedish composer/conductor/violinist
• 1719 - Joaquin de Oxinaga, composer
• 1740 - Ernest Louis Muller, composer
• 1758 - Louis-Charles-Joseph Rey, composer
• 1759 - Georges Danton, France, revolutionary leader/min of Justice
• 1789 - Joseph Mayseder, composer
• 1791 - Charles Sprague, Boston, banker/poet (Curiosity)
• 1795 - Nicolaos Mantzaros, composer
• 1800 - Helmuth K B von Moltke, Prussian general-fieldmarshal
• 1804 - Lorenzo Thomas, Bvt Major General (Union Army), died in 1875
• 1813 - Henry Thomas Smart, composer
• 1818 - Stefano Golinelli, composer
• 1819 - Me‹r A Goldschmidt, Danish writer/publisher (Corsaren & Jíde)
• 1823 - Karl Weinhold, German sociologist
• 1824 - Arthur Middleton Manigault, Brig General (Confederate Army)
• 1830 - Polibo Fumagalli, composer
• 1830 - Stephen Elliott Jr, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1866
• 1837 - James Lawlor Kiernan, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1869
• 1843 - Vasili V Vereshchagin, Russian painter (War & Peace)
• 1845 - Hendrick Waelput, Flemish composer/conductor (Forest, Stella)
• 1854 - August T C Kiehl, Dutch actor (Pearl of Zaandam)
• 1855 - Charles Post, who had a way with breakfast cereals (Post Cereals)
• 1859 - Arthur Friedheim, composer
• 1861 - Richard D Sears, Boston, tennis champ, US Open (1881)
• 1864 - Joseph Moorat, composer
• 1871 - Hermann Lohr, composer
• 1873 - Thorvald Stauning, Denmark, PM (1924-26, 1929-42)
• 1875 - H[arry] B[yron] Warner, London England, actor (King of Kings)
• 1878 - Jos‚ Moscardo Ituarte, Spanish general (Alc zar 1936)
• 1879 - Leon Trotsky, Russian revolutionary (pres of 1st Soviet) [OS]
• 1881 - Margaret Wycherly, London England, actress (Keeper of the Flame)
• 1886 - Gustav Hermann Unger, composer
• 1886 - Mark Aldanov, [Landau], Russian/French chemist (Myslitel) [OS]
• 1888 - E Runar Schildt, Finnish writer (Segrande Eros)
• 1894 - John S Knight, WV, publisher (Knight-Rider)
• 1898 - Beryl Rubinstein, composer
• 1900 - Ibrahim Abbud, general/premier Sudan (1958-64)
• 1900 - Karin Boye, writer
• 1902 - Hugh Chilvers, cricketer (great leggie of 30's for NSW but not Aust)
• 1902 - Joseph Paul Sharkey Zukauskas, boxer
• 1907 - Giovanni Salviucci, composer
• 1907 - Johannes A Apon, Dutch actor (Kaukasische Krijtkring)
• 1910 - John "Cardinal" Krol, former archbishop (Philadelphia)
• 1911 - Mahalia Jackson, New Orleans, gospel singer (Whole World in his Hands)
• 1911 - Sid Gillman, NFL hall of fame coach (LA, San Diego, Houston)
• 1911 - Sorley MacLean Somhairle MacChaluim, poet
• 1912 - Don[ald] Siegel, Chicago IL, director (Escape from Alcatraz, Shootist)
• 1913 - Stuart J[ames] Byrne, US, sci-fi author (Star Man, God Man)
• 1914 - Dylan Thomas, Swansea South Wales, poet
• 1914 - Jackie Coogan, LA Calif, actor (Uncle Fester-Addams Family)
• 1915 - Golfredo Corradetti, conductor
• 1916 - Fran‡ois Mitterand, Jarnac France, President of France (1981-95)
• 1917 - Felix the Cat, cartoon character
• 1917 - Mario Biaggi, (Rep-D-NY, 1969-90)
• 1919 - Edward W Brooke, 1st black senator in over 80 yrs (Sen-R-Mass)
• 1919 - Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Aryamehr, Shah of Iran (1941-79)
• 1920 - T C Jones, PA, female impersonator
• 1921 - George Houston, land economist
• 1924 - Tom F Lewis, (Rep-R-Florida, 1983- )
• 1925 - Jan Wolkers, Dutch sculptor/novelist (Brief American)
• 1926 - Yuri Aleksandrovich Letunov, Russia, cosmonaut
• 1929 - Georgette Amowitz, choreographer/educator
• 1929 - Hans Peter Haller, composer
• 1930 - John Arden, England, novelist/playwright (Left Handed Liberty)
• 1931 - Hank Garrett, Monticello NY, actor (Car 54 Where Are You)
• 1932 - Anthony C Beilenson, (Rep-D-California, 1977- )
• 1932 - Chinadorai Deshmutu, India, field hockey player (1952)
• 1933 - Suzy Parker, San Antonio Tx, model/actress (Chamber of Horrors)
• 1934 - Ulrich Plentzdorf, writer
• 1936 - Bruce Belland, Chicago, singer (Tim Conway Hour)
• 1937 - Dave Gavitt, formed Basketball's Big East Conference (1979)
• 1938 - Bernadette Lafont, Nimes France, actress (Perils of Gwendoline)
• 1938 - Charles W Stenholm, (Rep-D-Texas, 1979- )
• 1938 - Ralph Bakshi, animator (Lord of Rings, Fritz the Cat, Mighty Mouse)
• 1939 - Vladimir Mikhailovich Beloborodov, cosmonaut
• 1940 - Mario Orosco, 1st victim of NYC's Zodiac killer (survives)
• 1941 - Harald Nielsen, Denmark, soccer player (Olympic-silver-1960)
• 1942 - Bob Hoskins, Suffolk England, actor (Brazil, Who Killed Roger Rabbit?)
• 1942 - Dietmar Polaczek, composer
• 1942 - John P "Jannie" Roux, South African sect to pres (Botha/De Klerk)
• 1944 - Mike Piano, rocker (Sandpipers)
• 1944 - Ries [M] Smits, economist/Dutch MP (CDA)
• 1945 - Pat Conroy, American writer (Great Santini, Prince of Tides)
• 1946 - Ivan Reitman, director/producer (Private Parts, Ghostbusters, Dave)
• 1946 - Keith Hopwood, rock guitarist (Herman's Hermits)
• 1946 - Maureen Anderman, actress (Once Upon a Family, Rupture Fatale)
• 1946 - Pat Sajak, Chicago, TV host (Wheel of Fortune, Pat Sajak Show)
• 1947 - Hillary Rodham Clnton, Chicago, lawyer/1st lady (1993-2001)
• 1947 - Jaclyn Smith, Houston Tx, actress (Kelly-Charlie's Angel, Nightkill)
• 1948 - Marshall Colt, New Orleans La, actor (Eric-Lottery)
• 1949 - Kevin Sullivan, wrestler (WCW/ECW/SMW/NWA/Georgia/CWFI)
• 1950 - Chuck Foreman, NFL running back (Minnesota Vikings)
• 1950 - T E Srinivasan, cricketer (Indian opening batsman 1981)
• 1951 - Bootsy Collins, Cin, rocker (Parliaments-We Got the Funk)
• 1951 - Maggie Roche, rocker (Roches)
• 1951 - William "Bootsy" Collins, US bassist (Psychotic bump school)
• 1953 - Jennifer Roberson, US, sci-fi author (Shapechangers, Sword-Maker)
• 1953 - Julian Keith Strickland, Athens Ga, drummer (B-52's-Rock Lobster)
• 1954 - D W Moffett, Highland Park IL, actor (Fine Things, Lisa, Chicago Sons)
• 1955 - Stephen K Robinson, Sacramento Calif, PhD/astronaut (STS 85, sk:95)
• 1960 - Brian Hansen, NFL punter (NY Jets)
• 1961 - Mark Bucek, Winter Pak FL, Nike golfer (1994 Gary Player Tour)
• 1962 - Carey Elwes, London England, actor (Glory, Princess Bride)
• 1962 - Dylan McDermott, Waterbury CT, actor (Jersey Girl, Steel Magnolias)
• 1962 - Roger Kingdom, Vienna Ga, 110m hurdler (Olympic-gold-1984, 88)
• 1963 - Kerri Lynne Rosenberg, Burlington Ia, Miss Iowa-America (1991-top 10)
• 1963 - Natalie Merchant, US singer/songwriter (10,000 Maniacs)
• 1963 - Tony Casillas, NFL defensive tackle (NY Jets, Dallas Cowboys)
• 1964 - Lawson Duncan, Asheville NC, tennis star
• 1964 - Vencie Glenn, NFL safety (NY Giants)
• 1965 - Gil Heredia, Nogales AZ, pitcher (Texas Rangers)
• 1965 - Ken Rutherford, cricketer (NZ Test batsman & latterly capt)
• 1965 - Kim Cooper, Australian softball 3rd baseman/shortstop (Olym-bronze-96)
• 1965 - Mark McLoughlin, CFL kicker (Calgary Stampeders)
• 1965 - Wayne Martin, NFL defensive tackle (NO Saints)
• 1966 - Alex Pastoor, Dutch soccer player (FC Volendam)
• 1966 - David Miley, Milwaukee WI, Nike golfer (1992 Cleveland Open)
• 1966 - Olga Bicherova, gymnastics (won title at 15 yrs 33 days)
• 1967 - Bobby Houston, NFL linebacker (NY Jets)
• 1967 - Shelly Stokes, Sacramento Calif, softball catcher (Olympics-gold-96)
• 1968 - Chris Oldham, NFL cornerback (Pitts Steelers)
• 1968 - Nico John Hoogma, soccer player (FC Twente)
• 1969 - Mark Sweeney, Framington Mass, outfielder (St Louis Cardinals)
• 1969 - Mike Pritchard, NFL wide receiver (Seattle Seahawks)
• 1970 - Bert Emanuel, NFL wide receiver (Atlanta Falcons)
• 1970 - Jessie Armstead, NFL linebacker (NY Giants)
• 1970 - Randall Evans, Franklin Virginia, 100m/200m runner
• 1970 - Tom Vano, Plainfield NJ, field hockey goalkeeper (Olympics-96)
• 1971 - Cinnamon Woods, Anderson Ind, diver (Olympics-96)
• 1971 - Ronnie Irani, cricketer (Essex all-rounder, England 1996)
• 1973 - Brian Smith, Cedar Rapids Iowa, speed skater (Olympics-1994)
• 1973 - Robert Petrovicky, Kosice CZE, NHL forward (Team Slovakia, Dallas)
• 1975 - Katja Riipi, ice hockey left wing (Finland, Oly-98)
• 1975 - Tammy Cleland, Sanford FL, synchronized swimmer (Olympics-gold-96)
• 1996 - ? Pasaye, Palatine Ill, twin born 92 days before his brother (Jan 26)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0899 - Alfred the Great, writer/king of Wessex (871-99), dies
• 1132 - Floris the Black, brother of earl Dirk VI of Holland, murdered
• 1235 - Andr s II Arpad, King of Hungary (1205-35), dies
• 1440 - Gilles de Rais, French marshal, killer of 140 children, hanged
• 1576 - Frederick II the Vrome, ruler of Palts, dies
• 1607 - Philipp Nicolai, German Lutherian theologist/poet/composer, dies at 52
• 1608 - Juan Pantoja de la Cruz, Spanish royal painter, dies
• 1640 - Pietro Tacca, Italian sculptor/architect, dies at 63
• 1658 - Francisco de Borja y Arag¢n Esquilache, Spanish poet, dies
• 1661 - Johann B Schup, [Schuppius], German poet/historian/vicar, dies
• 1678 - John Jenkins, composer, dies
• 1693 - Coenraad van Beuningen, mayor of Amsterdam/diplomat, dies at 71
• 1706 - Andreas Werkmeister, composer, dies at 60
• 1733 - Antonio Veracini, composer, dies at 74
• 1749 - Louis-Nicholas Clerambault, French composer/organist, dies at 72
• 1756 - Johann Theodor Romhild, composer, dies at 72
• 1823 - Josef Preindl, composer, dies at 67
• 1848 - Vissarion G Belinski, Russian literature critic, dies
• 1858 - Isac Baker Woodbury, composer, dies at 39
• 1864 - Henriette ALF countess of W‚gimont, wife of king Willem I, dies at 72
• 1867 - John Fawcett, composer, dies at 77
• 1868 - B F Randolph, SC state senator, assassinated
• 1874 - Peter Cornelius, German composer, dies at 49
• 1881 - Billy Clanton, brother of Ike, dies
• 1890 - Collodi, [Carlo Lorenzini], Italian writer (Pinocchio), dies
• 1903 - Herbert Stanley Oakeley, composer, dies at 73
• 1903 - Victorin de Joncieres, composer, dies at 64
• 1909 - Horiboemi Ito, Prince of Japan, assassinated by a Korean
• 1929 - Arno Holz, writer, dies at 66
• 1935 - Akos Buttykai, composer, dies at 64
• 1936 - Bob Dellemijn, Lourdes-ganger/Franco-volunteer, dies in battle at 18
• 1954 - Floris HL Prims, Flemish priest/historian/archivist of Antwerp, dies
• 1955 - Arne Eggen, composer, dies at 74
• 1956 - Walter Gieseking, German pianist/composer, dies at 60
• 1957 - N Kazantzakis, writer, dies
• 1961 - Edgar Mayne, cricketer (4 Tests for Australia around WWI), dies
• 1961 - Milan Stojadinovic, premier of Yugoslavia (1935-39), dies at 73
• 1962 - Hattie McDaniel actress (Gone With the Wind), dies at 67
• 1962 - Louise Beavers, actress (Beulah-Beulah), dies at 64
• 1964 - Agnes Miegel, writer, dies
• 1968 - Erich Von Stroheim, actor/director (Napoleon), dies of cancer at 52
• 1971 - Robert Gordon director/writer (Loveless), dies at 76
• 1972 - Igor Sikorsky, Russian/US helicopter builder, dies at 83
• 1976 - Deryck Victor Cooke, composer, dies at 57
• 1978 - George Grant, cricketer (WI Test captain through early 1930's), dies
• 1979 - Jackie Grant, cricketer (West Indian captain 1930-35), dies
• 1979 - Park Chung-hee, South Korean President, assassinated
• 1980 - Marcello J tie Neves Alves Caetano, premier of Portugal, dies at 74
• 1982 - Giovanni Benelli, archbishop of Florence/Pope candidate, dies
• 1984 - John Woods Duke, composer, dies at 85
• 1984 - Laurie Langenbach, author, dies at 37
• 1984 - Sue Randall, actress (Miss Landers-Leave it to Beaver), dies at 49
• 1989 - Andrew Roberts, cricketer (7 Tests for New Zealand 1976), dies
• 1990 - William Paley, CEO (CBS), dies of a heart attack at 89
• 1991 - Bill Graham, rock promoter, dies at 60
• 1991 - Lori Rae Matthews, crushed to death by an artist's 485 lb umbrella
• 1992 - Dottie Green, female baseball player (Peaches), dies of cancer at 71
• 1992 - Jerome Andrews, US/French dancer/choreographer, dies
• 1992 - Laurel Cronin, actor (Beethoven, Housesitter), dies of cancer at 53
• 1993 - Absolutely Nobody, [David Powers], Wash lt-gov candidate, dies at 37
• 1993 - H Hardenberg, writer, dies
• 1994 - Rudi van Vlaenderen, Flemish actor/dir/poet (Thyestes), dies at 64
• 1994 - Tutta Rolf, actress (Whalers), dies at 87
• 1994 - Wilbert Harrison, singer, dies at 65
• 1995 - Agha Saadat Ali, cricketer (8 not out in 1 inn for Pak 1956), dies
• 1995 - Bernhard Heiliger, sculptor, dies at 79
• 1995 - Georgia Neese Gray, 1st Woman Treasurer of USA, dies at 95
• 1996 - Gordon Scarrott, engineer, dies at 80
• 1996 - Hans Walter Kosterliz, biochemist, dies at 93
• 1996 - Sylvia Mary Paget Chancellor, philanthropist, dies at 95