• 1316 - Robert II, the Steward, King of Scotland (1371-90)
• 1409 - John II, French duke of Alen‡on/co-fighter of Jeanne d'arc
• 1459 - Adrian VI, [Adriaan F Boeyens], Netherlands, Pope (1522-23)
• 1481 - Franz von Sickingen, German knight
• 1545 - Thomas Bodley, England, diplomat/scholar
• 1555 - Ludovico Spontoni, composer
• 1609 - Hadji Chalfa/Kƒtib Tsjelebi, Turkish literary (Djihannma)
• 1755 - Antoine-Frederic Gresnick, composer
• 1759 - Johann Christian Friedrich Haeffner, composer
• 1760 - Camille Desmoulins, France, journalist/pamphleteer/revolution leader
• 1769 - DeWitt Clinton, (Gov/Sen-NY)
• 1793 - Sam[uel] Houston, 1st president of Texas (1836-38, 1841-44)
• 1810 - Leo XIII, [Vincenzo G Pecci], 256th pope (1878-1903)
• 1813 - George Alexander Macfarren, composer
• 1815 - Antonio Buzzolla, composer
• 1817 - J nos Arany, Hungary, epic poet (Toldi, Death of King Buda)
• 1820 - Multatuli, writer
• 1824 - Bedrich Friedrich Smetana, Bohemian composer (Bartered Bride, Moldau)
• 1824 - Constantine D Uschinsky, Russian theorist [NS]
• 1824 - Henry Beebee Carrington, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1912
• 1828 - Jefferson Columbus Davis, Bvt Mjr General (Union Army), died in 1879
• 1829 - Carl Schurz, Major General (Union volunteers)journalist
• 1838 - David Duffle Wood, composer
• 1844 - Hermanus J A M Schaepman, clergyman/Dutch politician
• 1862 - John Jay Chapman, US advocate/poet/writer (Learning & Other Essays)
• 1875 - Hans Lietzman, German theologist/church historian
• 1876 - G”sta Forsell, Swedish radiologist
• 1876 - Pius XII, [Euhenio MGG Pacelli], 260th Pope (1939-58)
• 1878 - Wander J de Haas, Dutch physicist/son-in-law of Lorentz
• 1882 - Wallis Clark, Essex England, actress (Postal Inspector)
• 1884 - Leon Jongen, composer
• 1893 - Maxime Dumoulin, composer
• 1894 - Renaat Veremans, Flemish composer/conductor
• 1895 - Felix Bressart, Germany, actor (Ninotchka, Escape, Crossroads)
• 1899 - Pattie Maie Menzies, Australian dame
• 1900 - Kurt J Weill, Dessau Germany, composer/Brecht collaborator (Mahogany)
• 1901 - Willem Bruynzeel, Dutch timber-merchant
• 1902 - Edward Uhler Condon, atomic scientist (Manhattan Project)
• 1904 - Dr Seuss, [Theodor Geisel], kid's book author (Horton Hears a Who!)
• 1905 - Marc Blitzstein, Phila Pa, composer (Cradle Will Rock)
• 1908 - Jan Brasser, Dutch resistance fighter (Witte Ko)/communist
• 1909 - Hanoch Jacoby, composer
• 1909 - Jan Fabricius, Dutch playwright
• 1909 - Mel Ott, 1st NLer to hit 500 HRs, hall of famer (NY Giants)
• 1910 - Hope Clara Chenhalls, food inspector
• 1911 - William Hansen, WA, actor (Homebodies)
• 1912 - Arthur Beaumont C Langton, cricketer (S Afr pace bowler of 1930's)
• 1913 - Godfried [Jan Arnold] Bomans, Dutch humorist/writer (Pieter Bas)
• 1913 - Marjorie Weaver, Crossville Tennessee, actress (Young Mr Lincoln)
• 1913 - Mort Cooper, baseball player (NL MVP 1942)
• 1915 - Lona Andre, actress (Case of Baby Sitter)
• 1916 - Anne Vondeling, Dutch politician (PvdA)
• 1916 - Bernard George Stevens, composer
• 1917 - Desi Arnaz, Santiago Cuba, actor (I Love Lucy)
• 1917 - Jim Konstanty, baseball player (NL MVP 1950)
• 1917 - John Gardner, composer
• 1918 - Peter O'Sullevan, Ireland, horse racing commentator
• 1919 - Eddie Lawrence, comedian
• 1919 - Jennifer Jones, [Phyllis Isley], Okla, actress (Farewell to Arms)
• 1919 - Tamara Toumanova, dancer
• 1920 - Enrique Franco, composer
• 1921 - Robert Wilfred Levick Simpson, composer
• 1922 - Eric Feldbush, composer
• 1922 - Mario Zafred, composer
• 1923 - "Doc" Watson, bluegrass musician
• 1923 - Don Taylor, cricketer (NZ 3 Tests, Auck stands w/Sutcliffe in Wisden)
• 1923 - Robert H Michel, (Rep-R-IL, 1957- )
• 1924 - Albert TLCA Vogel, Dutch elocutionist
• 1924 - R‚nos Apostolidis, Greek author/poet (Katigor¢)
• 1927 - Siegfried Kohler, composer
• 1927 - Witold Szalonec, composer
• 1928 - Philip K Dick, writer
• 1929 - Donald Gosling, English parkeerplaatsenmagnaat/multi-millionaire
• 1930 - Jan van Noor, Dutch 2nd Chamber member (CDA)
• 1930 - John Cullum, Knoxville, actor (Hamlet, Hawaii, Northern Exposure)
• 1931 - Duane E Graveline, Newport Vt, astronaut
• 1931 - Mikhail S Gorbachev, Privolnoye USSR, Soviet sec-gen (1985-91)
• 1931 - Tom Wolfe, Richmond Va, journalist/author (Right Stuff)
• 1934 - Bernard Rands, Sheffield England, composer (Wildtrack)
• 1934 - Howard "Hopalong" Cassady, NFLer
• 1935 - Al Waxman, Toronto Canada, actor (Cagney & Lacey, Meatballs 3, Spasms)
• 1936 - Henny Boskamp, [Hoelscher], actor (Troeleke)
• 1938 - Alan Lewis, English textile factory/multi-millionaire
• 1938 - Donald Schwall, baseball player (1961 AL rookie of year)
• 1938 - Simon Estes, Centerville Iowa, bass/baritone (Wonton, Don Carlos)
• 1939 - Barbara Luna, NYC, actress (5 Weeks in a Balloon, Gentle Savage)
• 1939 - Gerard van Tongeren, Dutch singer (Buffoons)
• 1940 - Frederik van Zyl Slabbert, chairman (S Afr Prog Fed Party, 1979-86)
• 1942 - John Irving, NH, short-story writer (World According to Garp)
• 1942 - Lou Reed, [Firbank], Freeport NY, rock vocalist (Velvet Underground)
• 1942 - Tony Meehan, [Daniel Meehan], London Eng, rocker (Drifters, Vipers)
• 1943 - Geogre Benson, jazz/blues guitarist (Breezin', This Masquerade)
• 1943 - Gordon Black, English industrialist
• 1943 - Rosa DeLauro, (Rep-D-Connecticut)
• 1943 - Stephen Dickman, composer
• 1943 - Tony Meehan, rocker
• 1944 - Katherine Crawford, actress (Captains & Kings, Gemini Man)
• 1944 - Leif Segerstam, composer
• 1944 - Pam Barnett, LPGA golfer
• 1945 - Gordon Thompson, Ottawa Canada, actor (Adam Carrington-Dynasty)
• 1945 - Joy Garrett, actress (Jo-Days of Our Lives)
• 1946 - Brian J Donnelly, (Rep-D-MA, 1979- )
• 1948 - Larry Carlton, rock composer (Against All Odds, Who's the Boss)
• 1948 - Rory Gallagher, rock guitarist
• 1949 - Eddie Money, [Mahoney], Bkln, singer/guitarist (Take Me Home Tonight)
• 1949 - Gates McFadden, actress (Beverly Crusher-Star Trek Next Generation)
• 1949 - Rory Gallagher, Donegal Ireland, rock guitarist (See Here)
• 1950 - Karen Carpenter, New Haven Ct, vocalist/drummer (We Only Just Begun)
• 1950 - Matthew Laurance, actor (Duet)
• 1950 - Mitchel Laurance, actor (LA Law, Not Necessarily the News)
• 1951 - Cassie Yates, Macon Ga, actress (Osterman Weekend, Dynasty)
• 1952 - Laraine Newman, LA Calif, comedienne/actress (Saturday Night Live)
• 1953 - William Simmons, sax/keyboardist (Midnight Star-No Parking)
• 1954 - Stone Phumelele Sizani, South African treasurer (UDF)
• 1955 - Dale Bosworth, TV host (America's Most Wanted)
• 1955 - Dale Bozzio, Boston, vocalist (Missing Persons-Destination Unknown)
• 1955 - Jay Osmond, Ogden Utah, singer (Osmond Brothers, Donnie & Marie)
• 1955 - Shoko Asahara, [Chizuo Matsumoto], Japanese sect leader
• 1955 - Steve Small, cricketer (stalwart NSW opening batsman)
• 1956 - John Cowsill, Newport RI, rock drummer (Cowsills-We Can Fly)
• 1956 - Mark Evans, Melbourne Australia, rock bassist (AC/DC)
• 1958 - Ian Woosnam, Welsh golfer
• 1958 - Kevin Curren, South Africa, tennis star
• 1959 - Andrew Farriss, Australia, rock keyboardist (Inxs-Kiss the Dirt)
• 1959 - Larry Stewart, Paducah KY, country singer (Restless Heart-Wheels)
• 1959 - Laura Hurlbut, LPGA golfer
• 1962 - Al Del Greco, NFL kicker (Houston/Tennessee Oilers)
• 1962 - Jon Bon Jovi, Sayreville NJ, rocker (Bon Jovi-Give Love a Bad Name)
• 1962 - Philip Jonas, Johannesburg SA, Canadian Tour golfer (1993 Payless-2nd)
• 1962 - Terry Steinbach, New Ulm MN, catcher (Oakland A's)
• 1963 - Suzette Charles, NJ, replaced Vanessa Williams as Miss America (1983)
• 1965 - Ron Gant, Victoria TX, outfielder (St Louis Cardinals)
• 1966 - Judith Wiesner, Hallein Austria, tennis star (1994 Schenectady)
• 1966 - Stevie Rachelle, rock vocalist (Tuff-What Comes Around Goes Around)
• 1967 - Allan Boyko, CFL slot back (Winnipeg Blue Bombers)
• 1967 - Bruce Boyko, CFL fullback (Winnipeg Blue Bombers)
• 1967 - Leo Gomez, Canovanas Puerto Rico, infielder (Chic Cubs)
• 1968 - Penny "Stamper" Davis, Carlisle England, Canadian 470 yachter (Oly-96)
• 1970 - Kevin Miniefield, NFL defensive back (Chic Bears)
• 1970 - Steve Holman, Indianapolis Indiana, miler
• 1971 - Amber Smith, Tampa Fl, actress (Faithful, Funeral, Mirror Has 2 Faces)
• 1971 - Donna Perry, Glendale CA, playmate (Nov, 1994)
• 1971 - James Hammerstrand, LaMesa Calif, volleyball middle blocker (Oly-96)
• 1971 - Ray Hall, NFL defensive tackle (Jacksonville Jaguars)
• 1971 - Ruffin Hamilton, NFL linebacker (Atlanta Falcons)
• 1973 - John Elmore, guard (Baltimore Ravens)
• 1973 - Paul Popowich, actor (Tommy Tricker & Stamp Traveler)
• 1974 - Martine Dessureault, Montreal Quebec, 50m swimmer (Olympics-96)
• 1975 - Arleen McDonald, Miss USA-Mississippi (1997)
• 1976 - Lars Bruggemann, hockey defenseman (Team Germany 1998)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0986 - Lotharius, King of France (954-86), dies at 44
• 1122 - Floris II, the fat one, count of Holland, dies
• 1127 - Charles, the Good, Count of Vlanderen, murdered
• 1333 - Wladyslaw IV, the Short One/Great, duke/king of Poland, dies
• 1383 - Amadeus VI, count of Savoy, dies
• 1619 - Anne of Denmark, daughter of Danish king Frederik II, dies at 44
• 1758 - Johann Baptist Zimmermann, German stucco worker, buried at 78
• 1772 - Robert J Pothier, French lawyer, dies at 73
• 1787 - Jean SOME Allamand, French theologist/natural philosopher, dies at 73
• 1797 - Horace [Horatio] Walpole, British horror writer, dies at 79
• 1800 - Christian Friedrich Schale, composer, dies at 86
• 1822 - Christian Friedrich Hermann Uber, composer, dies at 40
• 1840 - Heinrich Olbers, German astronomer (comets & asteroids), dies at 81
• 1855 - Nicholas I Pavlovitch, tsar of Russia (1825-55), dies at 58
• 1862 - Frederick West Lander, US Union brig-general/poet, dies at 40
• 1867 - French A Durlet, Belgian sculptor/architect, dies at 50
• 1868 - Carl Eberwein, composer, dies at 81
• 1882 - Louis Kufferath, composer, dies at 70
• 1887 - August W Eichler, German botanist, dies at 47
• 1887 - Wilhelm Troszel, composer, dies at 63
• 1895 - Berthe MP Morisot, French painter/aquarelliste, dies at 54
• 1895 - Ismail Pasha, kedive of Egypt (1863-79), dies at 64
• 1916 - Elisabeth OL, [Carmen Sylva], Queen of Romania, dies at 72
• 1930 - David H Lawrence, poet/writer (Lady Chatterley's Lover), dies at 44
• 1937 - Gustav Wohlgemuth, composer, dies at 73
• 1939 - Howard Carter, Brit archaeologist/Egyptologist (King Tut), dies at 65
• 1943 - Alexandre Yersin, Swiss bacteriologist (bacteria plague), dies at 79
• 1950 - M Joseph V d'Arbaud, French poet/author (Li cant palustre), dies at 76
• 1957 - Harry E Soref, inventor (padlock), dies at 70
• 1959 - Eric Blore, actor (Abie's Irish Rose, Love Happy), dies at 70
• 1959 - Yrl” Henrik Kilpinen, Finnish composer, dies at 67
• 1962 - Charles-Jean baron de la Vall‚e-Poussin, Belgian engineer, dies at 96
• 1967 - Gordon Harker, actor (Inspector Hornleigh), dies at 81
• 1971 - Charles W Engelhard, US silver multi-millionaire, dies at 54
• 1972 - Bill Lawrence, news anchor (ABC), dies at 56
• 1973 - Cleo Noel, US ambassador to Sudan, assassinated
• 1974 - Barbara Ruick, actress/singer (Jerry Colonna Show), dies at 41
• 1975 - Jean Kurt Forest, composer, dies at 65
• 1979 - Edith Craig, actress (Harmony Lane, Smashing Rackets), dies at 71
• 1979 - Mollah Mustafa Barzani, Kurdish leader, dies at 75
• 1979 - Richard Sykes, British ambassador, assassinated in Holland
• 1981 - Janear Hines, actress (Roberta-Julia), dies at 30
• 1982 - Philip K[indred] Dick, author (Hugo-1963, Dr Futurity), dies at 53
• 1984 - Louis Basile, actor (Louie-The Super), dies at 48
• 1985 - John B Kelly Jr, chairman US Olympic Committee, dies at 57
• 1985 - Michael Redgrave, actor (Goodbye Mr Chips), dies at 77 of Parkinson's
• 1986 - Marcel Liebman, Belgian historian, dies at 56
• 1986 - Zafer Masri, mayor of Nablus, murdered
• 1987 - Randolph Scott, actor (Ft Worth, Gung Ho, Jesse James), dies at 89
• 1991 - Clark Mollenhoff, US journalist (Pulitzer Prize), dies
• 1991 - Freek Zoetmulder, publisher (Austrian Encyclopedia)/neo-nazi, dies
• 1991 - James "Cool Papa" Bell, Negro baseball league great, dies at 87
• 1991 - Serge Gainsbourg, composer/actor (Fury of Hercules), dies at 62
• 1993 - Floortje Peneder, Dutch poet (Diary), dies at 15
• 1993 - Paul D Zimmerman, US screenwriter (King of Comedy), dies at 54
• 1994 - Donald McKenzie MacKinnon, philosopher, dies at 80
• 1994 - Tengiz Abuladze, filmmaker, dies at 70
• 1995 - Hugo Cole, musician/critic, dies at 77
• 1995 - Vladislav Listyev, TV journalist, dies at 48
• 1996 - Jacobo Majluta, president of Dominican Rep (1982), dies at 61