• 1530 - Bartolomeo Spontone, composer
• 1601 - Georges de Scud‚ry, French writer (Observations sur le Cid)
• 1615 - Christopher Gibbons, composer
• 1647 - Denis Papin, French physicist (Papiniaanse pot, steam machine)
• 1681 - Pierre Danican Philidor, composer
• 1753 - Christian Friedrich Ruppe, composer
• 1760 - Leo XII, [Annibale Sermattei], Italy, Pope (1823-29)
• 1766 - Joseph-Denis Doche, composer
• 1771 - Jan Joseph Rosler, composer
• 1788 - Thomas Tredgold, engineer/carpenter
• 1795 - Abraham Capadose, physician/missionary
• 1822 - George Stoneman, US Union general-major/(Gov-Calif, 1883-87)
• 1827 - Edouard Silas, composer
• 1827 - Josef Strauss, Austria, composer (Dorfschwalben aus Austria)
• 1827 - Joseph Anthony Mower, Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1870
• 1834 - Nathaniel Harrison Harris, Brig General (Confederate Army)
• 1836 - Archibald M Willard, US, artist (Spirit of '76)
• 1846 - B Amalie Skram-Alver, Norway, writer (Hellemyrsfolket)
• 1847 - Alexander Campbell Mackenzie, composer
• 1852 - Alfredo Oriani, Italian writer (Political Struggle in Italy)
• 1854 - Milan I, King of Serbia
• 1856 - Friedrich Kstner, German astronomer
• 1860 - Gustaf Fr”ding, Swedish poet (St„nk och flikar)
• 1860 - Paul G Nipkow, German TV pioneer (Nipkow Award)
• 1862 - Claude Debussy, St Germain-en-Laye, composer (La Mer, Clair de lune)
• 1865 - Piet A W Hopmans, bishop of Breda (Eucharistic Crusade)
• 1873 - Karl Nef, Swiss musicologist
• 1874 - Edward Cuthbert Bairstow, composer
• 1874 - Max Scheler, German philosopher (Vom Umsturz der Werte)
• 1882 - Harry Makepeace, cricketer (4 Tests for England v Australia 1920-21)
• 1888 - Violet Farebrother, Grimsby England, actress (Downhill, Easy Virtue)
• 1890 - Floyd Henri Allport, US psychologist/sociologist
• 1891 - Francis McDonald, Bowling Green Ky, actor (Will-Adv of Champion)
• 1891 - Jacques Lipchitz, Polish/French/US painter/cubist sculptor
• 1892 - Percy Fender, cricketer (legendary Surrey & England all-rounder)
• 1893 - Dorothy Parker, NJ, short story writer (1958 Marjorie Peabody Award)
• 1894 - Cecil Kellaway, South Africa, actor (Mr Earnshaw-Wuthering Heights)
• 1895 - Paul White, Bangor Maine, composer (Adante & Rondo for Cello)
• 1897 - Bill Woodfull, cricketer (Australian captain in the Bodyline series)
• 1898 - Francine Larrimore, Verdun France, actress (John Meade's Woman)
• 1900 - Elizabeth Bergner, Vienna Austria, actress (Catherine the Great)
• 1902 - Leni Riefenstahl, [Helene Bertha Amalie], Germany, actress (Tiefland)
• 1902 - Roy Armstrong, English historian (History of Sussex)
• 1903 - Ren‚ Wellek, Vienna Austria, writer (Concepts of Criticism)
• 1904 - Deng Xiaoping, Chinese party leader (1976-1983)
• 1905 - Wade Crosby, IA, actor (Sign of Wolf, Tales of Robin Hood)
• 1907 - Oliver F McGowan, Kipling AL, actor (Banning, Stagecoach)
• 1908 - Henri Cartier-Bresson, Chanteloup, France, photographer
• 1909 - Mel Hein, NFL center (NY Giants)
• 1909 - Sergius Kagen, composer
• 1909 - Stojan T Daskalov, Bulgaria, writer (A Farm)
• 1911 - Edith Atwater, Chic, actress (Phyllis-Love on a Rooftop)
• 1911 - Somerset de Chair, MP
• 1912 - Edith Porada, art historian/archaeologist
• 1913 - Robert Schollum, composer
• 1916 - John Slater, London England, actor (Deadlock, Cartel, Devil's Pass)
• 1917 - John Lee Hooker, Clarksdale Mississippi, blues guitarist (Canned Heat)
• 1919 - Earl Cathcart, British major-general
• 1919 - Leo Pliatzky, senior civil servant
• 1920 - Anthony Tuke, CEO (Savoy Hotel Groups)
• 1920 - Denton Cooley, Houston, heart surgeon (1st artifical heart transplant)
• 1920 - Pierre A Lauffer, Antillian poet (Patria)
• 1920 - Ray[mond Douglas] Bradbury, Ill, sci-fi author (Fahrenheit 451)
• 1920 - W Schnurre, writer
• 1921 - James Menter, principal (Queen Mary College)
• 1922 - Micheline Presle, Paris, actress (Nea, Donkey Skin)
• 1923 - Gerald Long, journalist/CEO (Reuters)
• 1924 - Andrzej Markowski, composer
• 1924 - James Kirkwood, LA CA, actor/writer (Hired Wife)
• 1924 - Peter Allsop, publisher
• 1926 - Bob Flannigan, rocker (Four Freshmen)
• 1926 - Honor Blackman, London, actress (Pussy Galore-Goldfinger)
• 1926 - Marc Bohan, dress designer
• 1927 - Aleksandar Obradovic, composer
• 1928 - John Lupton, Highland Park Ill, actor (Tom-Broken Arrow)
• 1928 - Karlheinz Stockhausen, M”drath Germany, composer (Kontrapunkte)
• 1929 - Baroness Ewart-Biggs, British (Lab) spokesperson on Home Affairs
• 1932 - Gerald P Carr, Denver Colorado, Col USMC/astronaut (Skylab 4)
• 1932 - Theoni Vachliotis aldredge, award winning costume designer
• 1933 - Irmtraud Morgner, writer
• 1933 - Sylva Koscina, Zagreb Yugo, actress (Jessica, Hercules)
• 1934 - Diana Sands, NYC, actress (Raisin in the Sun, Doctor's Wife)
• 1934 - H Norman Schwarzkopf, Trenton NJ, 4-star Army general (Gulf War)
• 1934 - John M Chowning, composer
• 1934 - Margaret Douglas, chief political adviser (BBC)
• 1935 - Morton Dean, Fall River Mass, TV newscaster (CBS, ABC)
• 1935 - Richard W Howard, Okla City Ok, 400m hurdler (Olympic-bronze-1960)
• 1936 - Anne Downey, British circuit judge
• 1936 - Lex P Humphries, drummer
• 1937 - Donald MacLeary, dancer
• 1937 - Max Hebditch, director (Museum of London)
• 1938 - Dale Hawkins, music writer (Suzy Q)
• 1939 - Candido Lima, composer
• 1939 - Carl Yastrzemski, NY, Boston Red Sox great (1967 AL MVP, Hall of Fame)
• 1939 - Fred Milano, Bronx NY, rocker (Dion & The Belmonts) [or 8/26/40]
• 1940 - Antony Crosthwaite-Eyre, English publisher/multi-millionaire
• 1940 - David Vance, horse trainer
• 1940 - George Reinholt, Phila, actor (Steve-Another World, One Life to Live)
• 1940 - John Banham, director-general (CBI)
• 1940 - Valerie Harper, Sufferin NY, (Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda, Valerie)
• 1941 - Bill Parcells, NFL coach (NY Giants, NY Jets, NE Patriots)
• 1942 - Kathy Lennon, Santa Monica Calif, singer (Lennon Sisters)
• 1943 - Alun Michael, MP (Labour)
• 1944 - Henk Veldhoen, biochemist/Dutch MP (PvdA)
• 1945 - Derek Fatchett, MP (Labour)
• 1945 - James G Richardson, Gainesville Fla, actor (Tim Cassidy-Sierra)
• 1945 - Ron Dante, Staten Island NY, rock vocalist (Archies-Sugar, Sugar)
• 1945 - Steve Kroft, Kokomo Ind, co-editor (60 Minutes)
• 1946 - Felix Meurders, Dutch radio host
• 1947 - Bud Cramer, (Rep-D-Alabama)
• 1947 - Cindy Williams, Van Nuys Calif, actress (Shirley- Laverne & Shirley)
• 1947 - Donna Godchaux, rocker (Grateful Dead)
• 1948 - Rob Buckman, British broadcaster/actor (Pink Medicine Show)
• 1949 - Diana Nyad, swimmer (1st to swim Bahamas to Fla-1979)
• 1950 - Teresa Davis, rocker
• 1954 - Frank Marino, rocker
• 1954 - John Colwell, Kingston Ont, Canadian Tour golfer (1978 Simon Fraser)
• 1956 - Jeff Lloyd, jockey
• 1956 - Paul Molitor, St Paul MN, infielder (Mn Twins, 1993 World Series MVP)
• 1956 - Peter Taylor, cricketer (Australian off-spinner 1987-92)
• 1957 - Holly Dunn, San Antonio Tx, country singer (Daddy's Hands)
• 1957 - Randy Romero, Garden City NY, jockey (Breeder's Cup 1987-89)
• 1957 - Steve Davis, snooker player
• 1958 - Elhadjdia Ba, Dakar Senegal, hurdler (Olympic-silver-1988)
• 1958 - Ian Mitchell, Edinburgh, rocker (Bay City Rollers)
• 1959 - Denise Curry, Daivs Calif, basketball player (Olympic-gold-1984)
• 1959 - Juan Croucier, heavy metal rocker (Ratt-Round & Round)
• 1961 - Debbi Peterson, LA Calif, rock drummer (Bangles-Eternal Flame)
• 1961 - Jay Ashton, rocker (Gene Loves Jezebel)
• 1961 - John Kidd, NFL punter (Miami Dolphins)
• 1961 - Roland Orzabal, rock vocalist (Tears for Fears-Shout, Head over Heels)
• 1962 - Gene Craig Sauers, Savannah GA, PGA golfer (1986 Bank of Boston)
• 1962 - James Debarge, Grand Rapids Mi, rock vocalist/keyboardist (Debarge)
• 1962 - Marie Laurie Mahabir, Guadeloupe, N Amer Bodybuilding Champ (1985-87)
• 1963 - Lily Yip, Canton China, US table tennis player (Olympics-92, 96)
• 1963 - Terry Catledge, NBA star (Orlando Magic)
• 1963 - Thomas Ansberry, Okinawa Japan, US 10K runner
• 1963 - Tori Amos, [Myra Ellen Amos], NC, pianist/vocalist (Under The Pink,)
• 1964 - Dean Evason, Flin Flon, NHL center (Calgary Flames)
• 1964 - Mats Wilander, Vaxjo Sweden, tennis star (1988-US, Aust, French)
• 1965 - Patricia Hy-Boulais, Cambodia, tennis star (1994 Auckland doubles)
• 1966 - Mark Michaels, heavy metal guitarist (Teach Yourself Rhythm Guitar)
• 1966 - Rob Witschge, Dutch soccer star (Ajax/Feyenoord)
• 1967 - Curt Bourque, jockey
• 1967 - Layne Staley, US rock singer/guitarist (Alice in Chains-Dirt)
• 1967 - Wale', Lagos Nigeria, model
• 1968 - Henrik Holm, Sweden, tennis star
• 1968 - Horst Skoff, Austria, tennis star
• 1968 - Michael Curry, NBA guard (Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks)
• 1968 - Paul Ereng, Kenya, 800m runner (Olympic-gold-1988)
• 1969 - Hipolito Pichardo, Esperanza Dom Rep, pitcher (KC Royals)
• 1969 - Maurice Graef, soccer player (VVW, Roda JC)
• 1970 - Jean-Michel Bombardier, Brantford Ont Canada, ice pairs (1995, 96 Can)
• 1971 - Bernard Carter, NFL/WLAF linebacker (Jaguars, Frankfurt Galaxy)
• 1972 - Marliece Andrada, Manteca Calif, playmate (March 1998)
• 1972 - Stephen Boyd, NFL linebacker (Detroit Lions)
• 1973 - Jennifer Makris, Miss USA-New Jersey (1997, top 10)
• 1975 - Charles C Smith, NBA guard (Miami Heat)
• 1975 - Mbali Gasa, Miss South Africa Universe (1997)
• 1975 - Robert Enes, Australian soccer midfielder (Olyroos, Olympics-96)
• 1976 - Jim Weaver, Northridge Calif, baseball pitcher (Olympics-bronze-96)
• 1976 - Lia Victoria Borrero, Miss Panama Universe (1997)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0408 - Flavius Stilicho, West Roman field leader (395-408), dies at 48
• 0634 - Abd Allah Abu Bekr, Arabic merchant/1st kalief of Islam, dies
• 1188 - Ferdinand II, king of Castili‰/Le˘n/Asturi‰/Galici‰, dies
• 1241 - Gregory IX, [Ugolino di Segni], Italian Pope, dies
• 1280 - Nicholas III, [Giovanni Gaetano Orsini], Italian Pope (1277-80), dies
• 1286 - Erik V Klipping, king of Denmark, murdered
• 1350 - Philips VI, of Valois, King of France (1328-50), dies
• 1367 - Egidius AC Albornor, Spanish archbishop of Toledo, dies at about 57
• 1485 - Richard III, king of England (1483-85), killed in battle at 32
• 1532 - William Warham, English archbishop of Canterbury (1502-32), dies at 82
• 1553 - John Dudley, English Lord Admiral/premier (1551-53), beheaded
• 1755 - Caspar Burman, historian/mayor (Utrecht), dies
• 1793 - Louis Duke de Noailles, marshal of France, dies at 80
• 1801 - Pieter G van Overstraten, gov-gen of Neth-Indies, dies at 46
• 1806 - Jean-Honor‚ Fragonard, French painter/engraver, dies at 74
• 1818 - Warren Hastings, 1st governor-general of India (1773-84), dies at 85
• 1828 - Franz Joseph Gall, German/French physician (frenology), dies at 70
• 1831 - John White, composer, dies at 52
• 1850 - Nikolaus Lenau, writer, dies at 48
• 1862 - Henry Bohlen, German/US brig-general (Union), dies in battle at 51
• 1866 - George Shillibeer, pioneer of London's 1st bus service, dies
• 1874 - Sydney Thompson Dobell, poet, dies
• 1879 - Friedrich August Kummer, composer, dies at 82
• 1886 - Jos‚ da Silva Mendes Leal, Portuguese author (Indiana), dies at 67
• 1889 - John Sanger, circus entrepreneur, dies
• 1890 - Vasile Alecsandri, Romania poet/Foreign minister, dies at 69
• 1891 - John Neruda, Czech writer/poet (Povidky Malostransk‚), dies at 57
• 1893 - Ernst II, duke of Saxony-Coburg-Gotha (1844-93)/composer, dies at 75
• 1901 - Gunnar Wennerberg, composer, dies at 83
• 1903 - Robert A T G C Salisbury, British premier (1885..1902), dies at 73
• 1910 - George Palmer, cricketer (17 Tests for Aust 1880-86, 78 wickets), dies
• 1912 - Pope Gregory IX, dies
• 1914 - Raffenel, French general (3rd Colonial Div, WW I), dies in battle
• 1914 - Rondoney, French general (3rd Colonial Div, WW I), dies in battle
• 1920 - Anders Zorn, Swedish painter (Gustavus Vasa), dies at 60
• 1922 - Michael Collins, Irish nationalist leader, killed in ambush
• 1926 - Charles William Elliot, Pres of Harvard (1869-1909), dies at 92
• 1929 - Otto Liman von Sanders, German general in Turkey (WW I), dies at 74
• 1933 - Adolf Loos, Austria architect (building of houses), dies at 62
• 1936 - Juliette Adam-Lamber, French author (Salon/Nouvelle Revue), dies at 99
• 1937 - David C Salas, Antillian writer (Josephina), dies
• 1942 - Henry Eichheim, composer, dies at 72
• 1942 - Mikhailmichel Fokine, Russian ballet dancer/choreographer, dies
• 1944 - Raymond Aimos, actor (Golem, Mayerling, La Bandera), dies at 55
• 1958 - Roger Martin du Gard, novelist/playwright, dies
• 1962 - R A Schr”der, writer, dies
• 1963 - William Richard Morris, 1st viscount Nuffield motor manufacturer, dies
• 1965 - Henriette de Vreker-Verschuur, actress (Revolt in Mental Home), dies
• 1966 - Apolinary Szeluto, composer, dies at 82
• 1967 - Tom Conway, actor (Mrs Minerva), dies of liver ailment at 63
• 1970 - Richard Frank Donovan, composer, dies at 78
• 1973 - Louise Huff, actress (Sea Waif, Caprice, Disraeli), dies at 77
• 1974 - Jacob Bronowsky, British mathematician/cultural historian, dies at 66
• 1976 - Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, pres of Brazil (1955-60), dies at 73
• 1976 - Oskar Brsewitz, East German vicar, sets self on fire
• 1977 - Sebastian Cabot, actor (Mr French-Family Affair), dies at 59
• 1978 - Ignazio Silone, Italian author (Fontamara, Pane e vino), dies at 78
• 1978 - Jomo Kenyatta, 1st premier of Kenya (1963-78), dies at 83
• 1979 - Henry Beernink, politician, dies at 69
• 1979 - James T Farrell, US writer (French Girls are Vicious), dies
• 1984 - Charles Whittenberg, composer, dies at 57
• 1985 - Ginty Lush, cricketer (NSW quickie of 30's), dies
• 1990 - Merlin Marston, actor (Blue Sky), dies of non-Hodgkins lymphoma at 45
• 1991 - Boris Pugo, USSR minister of Interior (1990), commits suicide
• 1991 - Colleen Dewhurst, actress (Murphy Brown), dies of cancer at 67
• 1993 - Don Getz, US filmer (Playpoint)
• 1993 - Kasdi Merbah, PM of Algeria (1988-89), assassinated
• 1994 - Leo Lerman, actor/manager/critic (Dance Magazine), dies at 80
• 1994 - Tom Quirke, journalist, dies at 42
• 1995 - Jose Antonio Giron de Velasco, politician, dies at 83
• 1996 - David Donaldson, painter, dies at 80
• 1996 - Robert Lewis Campbell Lorimer, publisher, dies at 77
• 1996 - William James Millar Mackenzie, political scientist, dies at 87
• 1997 - Mary Louise Smith, chairman (Rep), dies at 82