• 1584 - Frederik Hendrik, count of Nassau/Prince of Orange
• 1688 - Emmanuel Swedenborg, Sweden, religious leader (Angelic Wisdom)
• 1689 - Hubert K Poot, Dutch poet
• 1700 - Daniel Bernoulli, Basel Switz, mathematician (10 time French award)
• 1703 - Carlmann Kolb, composer
• 1711 - Giuseppi Bonno, composer
• 1715 - Georg Christoph Wagenseil, Austrian (court)composer/pianist
• 1717 - Jeffrey Amherst, English gov-gen of America/fieldmarshal
• 1737 - Thomas Paine, political essayist (Common Sense, Age of Reason)
• 1756 - Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, (Rep/Gov-Va)/general
• 1761 - Abraham AA "Albert" Gallatin, Switz, US minister of Finance (1801-14)
• 1763 - J G Seume, writer
• 1782 - Daniel-Fran‡ois-Esprit Auber, French opera composer (Fra Diavolo)
• 1782 - Frantiszek Tucek Scigalski, composer
• 1783 - Vasili A Zjukovski, Russian folk poet/translator (Homerus) [NS=Feb 9]
• 1784 - Ferdinand Ries, composer
• 1798 - Henry Neele, London, poet
• 1801 - Johannes Bernardus van Bree, Dutch violinist/composer (Felix Meritis)
• 1803 - James Outram, Bulterley Hall Derbyshire, general
• 1810 - Earnest E Kummer, German mathematician
• 1821 - Isaac Ferdinand Quinby, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1891
• 1823 - Franklin Gardner, Major General (Confederate Army)
• 1824 - Karl von Perfall, composer
• 1836 - Benjamin Franklin Potts, Bvt Mjr Gen (Union volunteers), died in 1887
• 1836 - James Meech Warner, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1897
• 1843 - William McKinley, Niles Ohio, (R) 25th pres (1897-1901)
• 1850 - Ebenezer Howard, London, pioneer of garden cities
• 1850 - Lawrence Hargrave, inventor (box kite)
• 1852 - Frederick Hymen Cowen, composer
• 1852 - Ion Luca Caragiale, Romanian actor/playwright (O Noapte Furtunoasa)
• 1854 - Willem PC Knuttel, Dutch bibliographer/librarian
• 1860 - Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, Tagarov Russia, playwright (Cherry Orchard)
• 1862 - Frederick Delius, Bradford England, composer (Hiawatha)
• 1864 - Adolf Philipp, composer
• 1866 - Romain Rolland, France, writer (Jean-Christophe) (Nobel 1915)
• 1867 - Vicente Blasco Ib ¤ez, Spain, writer (4 Horsemen of Apocalypse)
• 1869 - Andrey Vladimirovich Scherbachov, composer
• 1871 - Eduardo Lopez-Chavarri y Marco, composer
• 1873 - Luigi A, duke of the Abruzzes, Italy, explorer/climber (Mt St Elias)
• 1874 - John David Rockefeller Jr, Cleveland Ohio, philanthropist
• 1874 - Robert Lach, composer
• 1876 - Carl Henrik Ludolf Nielsen, composer
• 1876 - Havergal Brian, Dresden Staffordshire, composer
• 1878 - Barney Oldfield, Ohio, daredevil
• 1880 - W C Fields, [William Claude Dukenfield], Phila, actor (Bank Dick)
• 1884 - Juhan Aavic, composer
• 1887 - Albert Conti, Trieste Austria, actor (Jazz Heaven, Doomed Battalion)
• 1889 - Francisco Santiago, composer
• 1889 - Rudolf Mauersberger, composer
• 1890 - Marguerite Canal, composer
• 1891 - R N Williams II, tennis champ (US Open-1914)
• 1892 - Clifford Gray, US, bobsled (Olympic-gold-1928)
• 1893 - Edric Cundell, composer
• 1893 - Martian Negrea, composer
• 1896 - Teddy Hoad, cricketer (pioneering West Indian Test batsman)
• 1898 - Fernand Quinet, Belgian cellist/composer/conductor (La Guerre)
• 1898 - Karl Bjarnhof, Danish blind journalist/writer (History of Sascha)
• 1900 - Marco Tajcevic, composer
• 1900 - Willem F K Hussem, Dutch painter/poet (Coastline, Lookout on Sea)
• 1901 - Allen B DuMont, inventor (perfected coml practical cathode ray tube)
• 1903 - Cornelis H Edelman, Dutch geologist
• 1905 - Barnett Newmann, US painter (postpainterly abstraction)
• 1906 - Franciscus Hin, Holland, yachtsman (Olympic-gold-1920)
• 1906 - Joe Primeau, NHL center
• 1908 - Adam Clayton Powell, (Rep-D-NY, 1945-70)
• 1909 - Alan Marshal, Sydney Aust, actor (White Cliffs of Dover, Lydia)
• 1909 - Tonypandy, Viscount
• 1910 - Henri Queff‚lec, French writer (Au bout du monde)
• 1910 - Paul Hodder-Williams, publisher
• 1911 - Bernard Herrmann, NYC, composes film music
• 1911 - George Burns, British major-general
• 1912 - "Professor" Irwin Corey, Brooklyn NY, comedian (Car Wash, Doc)
• 1912 - Jacob "Jaap" Balk, journalist (AH, Onder de Keizerskroon)
• 1915 - Frederic Ramsey Jr, folklorist/author
• 1915 - Halfdan Rasmussen, Danish poet/WWII resistance fighter (Skoven)
• 1915 - Victor Mature, Louisville KY, actor (1 Million BC, Samson & Delilah)
• 1916 - Barbara Skelton, writer
• 1917 - John Raitt, Santa Ana Calif, actor/singer (Chevy Show, Pajama Game)
• 1918 - John Forsythe, NJ, actor (Bachelor Father, Charlie's Angels, Dynasty)
• 1918 - William Rigney, baseball manager (SF Giants)
• 1919 - Norman F Simpson, British playwright (One Way Pendulum)
• 1920 - Alec Coppen, psychiatrist
• 1923 - Paddy Chayevsky, [Sydney], US, dramatist (Marty, Hospital)
• 1924 - Brian Trubshaw, British test pilot
• 1924 - Gregson, Lord
• 1924 - Luigi Nono, Venice Italy, composer (Canonic Variations)
• 1925 - Anthony George, Endicott NY, actor (Untouchables, Checkmate)
• 1925 - Lane of Horsell, Lord
• 1925 - Pier Tania (Meinte Piet), radio/TV host (ANP, De Bezetting)
• 1926 - Abdus Salam, theoretical physicist
• 1926 - Bob Berry, cricketer (England slow lefty 1950)
• 1927 - Edward Abbey, US author (Desert Solitaire)
• 1928 - Bengt Hambraeus, composer
• 1928 - Marinus Peijnenburg, Dutch politician
• 1928 - Peter Byrne, actor (Postcards from America, Carry on Cabby)
• 1929 - Elio Petri, Italy, director (Property is no theft)
• 1929 - William McMillan, US, rapid pistol (Olympic-gold-1960) [or Jul 3]
• 1930 - John Junkin, actor/writer (A Hard Day's Night)
• 1931 - Leslie Bricuse, English/US composer (Stop the world I want to get off)
• 1932 - Clyde, Lord
• 1932 - Raman Subba Row, CEO (Test/County Cricket Board)
• 1933 - A C Alston, bibliographer
• 1933 - Margaret Laird, Commissioner (Third Church Estates)
• 1934 - Paul Gutama Soegijo, composer
• 1936 - Malcolm Binns, concert pianist
• 1937 - Bobby Scott, jazz singer
• 1938 - Bill Christian, US, ice hockey player (Olympic-gold-1960)
• 1939 - Germaine Greer, Melbourne Australia, feminist/author (Female Eunich)
• 1939 - O P Kolomitsev, cosmonaut
• 1942 - Arnaldo Tamayo-Mendez, Cuba, cosmonaut (Soyuz 38)
• 1942 - Claudine Longet, France, former Mrs Andy Williams/singer
• 1942 - F R Hartley, Vice-Chancellor (Cranfield University)
• 1942 - Katharine Ross, Hollywood Cal, actress (Graduate, Francesca-Colbys)
• 1942 - Richard Needham, British MP
• 1942 - Robin Morgan, Lake Worth Fla, actress (Dagmar-Mama)
• 1943 - Charles Fitzgerald-Lombard, Abbot of Downside
• 1943 - Timothy Andrew James Souster, composer
• 1944 - Barbara Moore, Wardell Mo, actress (Lisa Rogers-Man From UNCLE)
• 1944 - Hans Plomp, Dutch writer/poet (Venus in Holland)
• 1945 - Donna Marie Caponi Young, Detroit, LPGA golfer (US Open 1969, 70)
• 1945 - James Nicholson, British MEP
• 1945 - Tom Selleck, Detroit Mich, actor (Lance-Rockford Files, Magnum PI)
• 1947 - David Byron, vocalist (Uriah Heep)
• 1947 - Israel Wetrin, managing director (Elonex)
• 1947 - Michael Mavor, Head Master (Rugby School)
• 1948 - Bill Kirchen, singer/guitarist (Commander Cody & Lost Planet Airmen)
• 1948 - Felice Taylor, R&B singer (I Feel Love Comin' On)
• 1948 - Marc Singer, Vancouver Canada, actor (V, Dallas)
• 1949 - Tommy Ramone, [Thomas Erdelyi], Budapest, rock drummer (Ramones)
• 1950 - Ann Jillian, Cambridge Mass, actress (Mr Mom, Jennifer Slept Here)
• 1950 - Jody Schecter, South African auto maker (World Driver's 1979)
• 1951 - Andy Roberts, cricketer (brilliant WI quickie with 202 wickets 74-84)
• 1951 - Earl Howe
• 1952 - Tommy Ramone, [Erdelyi], Hungary, rock drummer/bassist [Ramones)
• 1953 - Dalila di Lazzaro, Udine Italy, covergirl/model (Vogue)
• 1954 - Alejandro Casa¤as, Havana Cuba, 110m hurdler (Olympic-silv-1976, 80)
• 1954 - Dick Manitoba, vocalist (Dictators)
• 1954 - Oprah Winfrey, Mississippi, actress/TV host (Color Purple, Oprah)
• 1955 - John Tate, US, heavyweight boxer (Olympic-bronze-1968)
• 1957 - Irlene Mandrell, Corpus Christi Tx, country singer (Mandrell Sisters)
• 1957 - Jac Bico, Dutch guitarist/singer (Tambourine)
• 1958 - Judy Norton-Taylor, Santa Monica Calif, actress (Mary Ellen-Waltons)
• 1958 - Ole Mortensen, cricketer (pace bowler for Derbyshire & Denmark)
• 1959 - Paul McGann, actor (Dr Who)
• 1960 - Cho-Liang Lin, Taiwan, violinist (Queen Sophia 1st prize)
• 1960 - Eddie Jackson, bassist (Queensryche-Breaking the Silence)
• 1960 - Gregory Efthimos Louganis, San Diego Ca, diver (Olympic-gold-1984, 88)
• 1960 - Matthew Ashford, Davenport IA, actor (Jack Devaraux-Days of Our Lives)
• 1960 - Sean Kerly, hockey player
• 1960 - Steve Sax, 2nd baseman (LA Dodgers, NY Yankees, Chic White Sox)
• 1961 - Mike Aldrete, US baseball infielder (Oakland Athletics, NY Yankees)
• 1962 - Nicholas Turturro, Queens NY, actor (James Martinez-NYPD Blue)
• 1963 - Michelle Bell, Melrose MA, LPGA golfer (1981 Mass School Girls Champ)
• 1964 - Andre Reed, NFL wide receiver (Buffalo Bills)
• 1964 - John Gallagher, rugby league player
• 1964 - John Habyan, US baseball pitcher (St Louis Cardinals)
• 1964 - Roddy Frame, rock vocalist/guitarist (Aztec Camera-Stray)
• 1965 - Dominik Hasek, Pardubice CZE, NHL goalie (Czech Oly-Gold-98, Buffalo)
• 1965 - Peter Lundgren, Sweden, tennis star
• 1965 - Tim Johnson, NFL defensive tackle (Washington Redskins)
• 1967 - David Pitcher, CFL fullback (Winnipeg Blue Bombers)
• 1967 - Khalid Skah, Midelt Morocco, 5k/10k runner
• 1967 - Sean Burke, Windsor, NHL goalie (Hartford Whalers)
• 1967 - Stacey King, NBA forward/center (Miami Heat)
• 1968 - Aeneas Williams, NFL cornerback (Arizona Cardinals)
• 1968 - Chris Pringle, (New Zealand cricket pace bowler (since 1990)
• 1968 - Ed Burns, director/actor (Brothers McMullen)
• 1968 - Harold Green, NFL running back (Cin Bengals, Atlanta Falcons)
• 1968 - John Hudson, NFL center/guard (NY Jets, Phila Eagles)
• 1968 - Kevin Roberson, US baseball outfielder (Chicago Cubs)
• 1969 - Aeneas Williams, cornerback (Arizona Cardinals)
• 1969 - Flora Perfetti, Faenza Italy, tennis star (1995 Futures-Reims-FRA)
• 1969 - Karen Fonteyne, Calgary Alberta, synchro swimmer (Olympics-silver-96)
• 1969 - Robert Young, NFL player (St Louis Rams)
• 1970 - Eric Gouka, cricketer (Netherlands pace bowler 1996 World Cup)
• 1970 - Heather Graham, Milwaukee WI, actress (Drugstore Cowboy, Diggstown)
• 1970 - Scott Davis, guard (Atlanta Falcons)
• 1971 - Chris Vargas, CFL quarterback (Winnipeg Blue Bombers)
• 1971 - Jamal Fountaine, NFL defensive end (SF 49ers, Atlanta Falcons)
• 1972 - Hessley Hempstead, NFL guard (Detroit Lions)
• 1972 - Scott Davis, Great Falls Mont, figure skater (Olympics-1994)
• 1972 - Simon Cook, cricketer (Victorian pace bowler joined NSW 1995-96)
• 1973 - Darnell Stephens, NFL linebacker (Tampa Bay Bucs)
• 1973 - Jason Schmidt, Lewiston ID, pitcher (Atlanta Braves)
• 1973 - Scott Milanovich, quarterback (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
• 1974 - David LaFleur, tight end (Dallas Cowboys)
• 1974 - Jeff Mitchell, corner (Baltimore Ravens)
• 1974 - Kris Burley, Truro Nova Scotia, gymnist (Olympics-96)
• 1974 - Pat Walsh, WLAF Tackle (London Monarchs)
• 1975 - Hendrik Dreekmann, Germany, tennis star
• 1975 - Kelly Packard, Glendale CA, actress (Tiffani Smith-California Dreams)
• 1975 - Lorraine Magwenzi, Miss Zimbabwe Universe (1997)
• 1975 - Maarten Kerkhof, soccer player (Vitesse, De Graafschap)
• 1975 - Sara Gilbert, Santa Monica Calif, actress (Melissa-Roseanne)
• 1976 - Ilmira Shamsutdinova, Miss Universe-Russia/best costume (1996)
• 1977 - Martin Hohenberger, hockey forward (Team Austria 1998)
• 1979 - Andrew Keegan, actor (Step by Step, Party of Five)
• 1980 - Jason James Richter, Medford OR, actor (Free Willy)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0969 - Peter, tsar of Bulgaria (927-69), dies
• 1559 - Thomas Pope, English politician, benefactor, dies at about 52
• 1663 - Robert Sanderson, Bishop of Lincoln (1660-63), dies
• 1696 - Ivan V, co-tsar of Russia (1682-89), dies
• 1743 - Andr‚ Hercule Fleury, French cardinal (1726-43), dies
• 1814 - Johann G Fichte, German philosopher (Wissenschaftslehre), dies at 51
• 1820 - George III, king of Great-Britain (1760-1820), dies at 81
• 1824 - Louise MC countess of Albany, Henegouws salon owner, dies at 71
• 1837 - Aleksandr Pushkin, poet/novelist (Golden Cockeral), killed in a duel
• 1879 - Antonia MB Antonucci, Italian cardinal/diplomat, dies at 80
• 1888 - Edward Lear, poet/author, dies at 75
• 1899 - Alfred Sisley, painter, dies
• 1899 - Robert J Fruin, Dutch historian (80-year war), dies at 75
• 1906 - Christaan IX, King of Denmark (1893-1906), dies
• 1910 - Edouard Rod, French/Swiss writer (Mishel' Tes'e), dies at 52
• 1912 - Hermann Bang, writer, dies at 54
• 1916 - Edward Hubertus Joannes Keurvils, composer, dies at 62
• 1917 - Evelyn Baring earl Cromer, English consul-general in Egypt, dies at 75
• 1921 - Billy Gunn, cricket (score 392 runs for Eng including a century), dies
• 1924 - Joseph Ludwig, composer, dies at 79
• 1928 - Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig/field marshal (WW I), dies at 66
• 1934 - Fritz Haber, German chemist (Nobel 1918), dies at 65
• 1941 - Ioannis Metaxas, Greek gen/dictator (1936-41), commits suicide at 69
• 1942 - Ladislao Joseph Philip Paul Zavrtal, composer, dies at 92
• 1944 - William Allen White, US journalist (Emporia Gazette), dies at 75
• 1946 - Harry L Hopkins, US min of Business (Loan & Lease law), dies at 55
• 1946 - Sidney James Jones, composer, dies at 84
• 1947 - Fred Barratt, cricket (5 wkts at 47 in 5 Tests for Eng 1929-30), dies
• 1951 - James Bridie, [Osborne Henry Mavor], dramatist, dies
• 1955 - Hans Hedtoft, premier of Denmark (1947.. 55), dies at 51
• 1956 - H[enry] L[ouis] Mencken, US essayist/critic (Smart Set), dies at 75
• 1960 - Louis Jean Heydt, actor (Joe-Waterfront), dies at 54
• 1962 - Fritz Kreisler, Austria/US violinist/composer, dies at 86
• 1963 - Robert Lee Frost, US poet (New Hampshire, 4 Pulitzers), dies at 88
• 1964 - Alan Ladd, actor (Shane), dies at 50 in Palm Springs Calif
• 1965 - John Larkin, actor (Saints & Sinners, 12 O'Clock High), dies at 52
• 1965 - Michael Spisak, composer, dies at 50
• 1966 - Josef Winckler, German dentist/writer (Tolle Bomberg), dies at 84
• 1966 - Pierre Mercure, composer, dies at 38
• 1967 - Wlodzimierz Pozniak, composer, dies at 62
• 1968 - Laxmidas Purshottamdas Jai, cricketer (Test for India), dies
• 1970 - Basil H Liddell Hart, English military historian, dies at 74
• 1973 - Johannes Paul Thilman, composer, dies at 67
• 1973 - Ludwig Stossel, Austrian actor (Man With a Camera), dies at 89
• 1976 - Michael Gwynn, actor (Dunkirk, Barabbas, Cleopatra), dies at 59
• 1977 - E P "Buster" Nupen, cricketer (50 wickets for S Af, lost eye), dies
• 1977 - Freddie Prinze, comedian/actor (Chico & the Man), shoots himself at 22
• 1978 - Tim McCoy, actor (Arizona Bound), dies at 86
• 1980 - Antonio Molina, composer, dies at 85
• 1980 - Jimmy Durante, comedian (Palooka, Jimmy Durante Show), dies at 86
• 1981 - Cozy Cole, rocker (Topsy Part II), dies
• 1984 - Frances Goodrich, (Diary of Anne Frank), dies at 93 of lung cancer
• 1986 - Leif Erickson, actor (John-High Chaparral), dies at 74
• 1987 - Ivo Lhotka-Kalinski, composer, dies at 73
• 1988 - Bantcho Bantchevsky, US opera singer, commits suicide
• 1988 - James R Killian Jr, MIT pres (1948-59), dies at 83
• 1988 - Rogier van Otterloo, Dutch composer/conductor, dies at 46
• 1991 - Jan Od‚, Dutch pianist/director Sweelinck Conservatory, dies
• 1991 - Yasushi Inoue, Japanese historian, dies
• 1992 - Willie Dixon, blues composer (I'm a Man, Backdoor Man), dies at 76
• 1993 - Hank Werba, [Herman Werblowski], US journalist (Variety), dies at 79
• 1993 - Michel Renault, French ballet dancer (Giselle), dies
• 1994 - Jevgeni P Leonov, Russian actor (Gori, Moja Zvezda), dies at 67
• 1994 - Nick Cravat, midget (Gremlin-Twilight Zone), dies of lung cancer at 81
• 1994 - Ulrike Maier, olympic skier, breaks neck during world cup skiing at 26
• 1995 - Arthur Guy Clutton-Brock, English agronomist (Rhodesia), dies at 88
• 1995 - Chris de Marigny, painter/designer, dies at 52
• 1995 - Raymond Joseph Cecil, British architect, dies at 69
• 1995 - Richard Burnell, British rower (Olympics-gold-1948), dies at 77
• 1995 - Richard Desborough Burnell, oarsman, dies at 77
• 1996 - Jack Sutherland, journalist, dies at 79
• 1996 - John Terence Reese, bridge master, dies at 82
• 1997 - Eric Schneider, murderer of 2 teachers, executed in MO at 35
• 1997 - Louis Pauwels, writer/editor, dies at 76
• 1997 - Osvaldo Soriano, writer, dies at 54