• 1485 - Catherine of Aragon, Spanish princess/1st wife of Henry VIII
• 1622 - Kurt S Adeler, Danish admiral/ship builder
• 1652 - Giovanni Maria Casini, composer
• 1685 - Charles Cressent, France, cabinetmaker (R‚gence)
• 1734 - Georg Peter Weimar, composer
• 1742 - Gebhard Leberecht Frst Blcher von Wahlstatt, German fieldmarshal
• 1748 - Ferdinand-Philippe-Joseph Staes, composer
• 1770 - Ludwig von Beethoven, Bonn Germany, composer (Ode to Joy)
• 1775 - Fran‡ois-Adrien Boieldieu, composer
• 1775 - Jane Austin, England, novelist (Pride & Prejudice)
• 1777 - Janos Fusz, composer
• 1809 - Peter P van Bosse, Dutch attorney/liberal minister of Finance
• 1812 - William Grose, Bvt Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1900
• 1819 - Robert Selden Garnett, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1861
• 1822 - Charles Edward Horsley, composer
• 1825 - Henry Heth, Major General (Confederate Army), died in 1899
• 1825 - Robert Prescott Stewart, composer
• 1827 - John A C Oudemans, Dutch geographer/astronomer
• 1828 - John Beatty, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1914
• 1830 - John Frederick Hartranft, Bvt Mjr Gen (Union volunteers), died in 1889
• 1834 - L‚on Walras, French economist (border use theory)
• 1847 - Augusta Mary Anne Holmes, composer
• 1850 - Fred Morley, cricketer (legendary Notts & England bowler 1880-83)
• 1851 - Theodoor H de Meester, Dutch premier (1905-08)
• 1857 - Edward Emerson Barnard, Tenn, astronomer (Jupiter's 5th satellite)
• 1862 - EugŠne Demolder, Belgian writer (Sous la robe)
• 1863 - George Santayana, Spain, philosopher/poet/humanist (Last Puritan)
• 1863 - Ralph Adams Cram, US, gothic architect (Cathedral of St Joan NYC)
• 1865 - Victor Rousseau, Belgian sculptor
• 1869 - Albert F Pollard, British historian (Dict of natural biography)
• 1879 - William Duncan, Scotland, actor (Thunder Trail)
• 1882 - Jack Hobbs, cricketer (1st-class runs, the most ever)
• 1882 - John Berry Hobbs, England, 1st cricket played knighted (1953)
• 1882 - Walther Meissner, German physicist (Meissner effect)
• 1882 - Zolt n Kod ly, Kecskem‚t Hungary, composer (Psalmus Hungaricus)
• 1883 - Max Linder, Caverne France, actor/comic/director (Max Prend un Bain)
• 1888 - Alphonse Juin, French marshal
• 1890 - Harlan Sanders, founder/CEO (Kentucky Fried Chicken)
• 1892 - A "Shon NŠnŠ" Morales, Antillean/Neth very old lady
• 1892 - Cameron Prud'Homme, Auburn CA, actor (Rainmaker)
• 1893 - Vladimir Golschmann, Paris France, conductor with Immortal Downbeat
• 1895 - Lidj Jasu, emperor of Ethiopia
• 1897 - Jacobus Petrus Duminy, cricketer (three Tests for S Africa 1927-29)
• 1897 - Paul Neuhuys, Belgian playwright (Le Canari et le Cerise)
• 1899 - Harold Walter Bailey, philologist
• 1899 - No‰l Coward, England, playwright (In Which We Serve-1942 Acad Award)
• 1900 - Victor S Pritchett, literary critic/author (Myth Makers)
• 1901 - Margaret Mead, Phila, anthropologist (Coming of Age in Samoa)
• 1903 - Hardie Albright, Pittsburgh, actress (Silver Streak, Scarlet Letter)
• 1903 - Rafael Alberti, Spanish poet (El hombre deshabitado)
• 1904 - Edward Morris Bernstein, economist
• 1904 - Norbert E Fonteyne, Flemish writer (Guest house VivŠs)
• 1905 - Piet Hein, poet/inventor
• 1906 - John Morrison, politician/landowner
• 1906 - Lord Margadale, English Conserv parliament leader/large landowner
• 1907 - Ray C Bliss, (R) Ohio State Republican Chairman
• 1907 - Syd Curnow, cricketer (South African batsman in 7 Tests 1930-32)
• 1909 - Henricus Verbunt, civil servant/resistance fighter
• 1909 - Lall Singh, cricketer (scored 15 & 29 in India's 1st Test match)
• 1910 - Freddie Brown, Peru, cricketer ("Lettuces! Hearts as big as ")
• 1910 - Robert Noehren, composer
• 1910 - Stanojlo Rajicic, composer
• 1915 - Georgi Sviridov, composer
• 1915 - Georgy Vasilevich Svirdov, composer
• 1916 - Theo Bitter, Dutch painter/set designer
• 1916 - Udom Patpongsiri, property developer
• 1917 - Arthur C[harles] Clarke, sci-fi author (2001, 2010, Childhood's End)
• 1918 - Henry Clarke, fashion photographer
• 1919 - Manke Nelis, [Cornelis Pieters], Dutch folk vocalist (Small Yodel Boy)
• 1922 - Pierre Chany, writer/cycling journalist
• 1923 - Tip [Silvio A] Marugg, Antillian writer (Weekend pilgrimage)
• 1923 - Werner Haentjes, composer
• 1926 - Alfred Koerppen, composer
• 1926 - James McCracken, Gary Ind, dramatic tenor (Rodolfo-La Boh‚me)
• 1927 - G Randall P D Garrett, US, sci-fi writer (Takeoff (too)!)
• 1927 - Peter [Malcolm] Dickinson, Zambia, sci-fi author (Heartsease)
• 1928 - Peter Nailor, civil servant/historian
• 1928 - Philip K[indred] Dick, US, sci-fi author (Hugo-1963, Blade Runner)
• 1929 - Ian Board, barkeeper
• 1932 - Rodion Konstantinovich Schedrin, Moscow, composer (Humpback Horse)
• 1937 - Jim Glaser, Spalding Neb, singer (Glaser Bros-Getting to Me Again)
• 1937 - Joe Farrell, rocker
• 1937 - Joyce Bulifant, Newport News Va, actress (Marie-Mary Tyler Moore Show)
• 1938 - Michael Greer, Durham NC, actor (Bobby Gentry Show)
• 1939 - Liv Ullman, Tokyo Japan, actress (Cries & Whispers, 40 Carats)
• 1940 - Dimitri van Toren, Dutch vocalist/composer
• 1941 - Lesley Stahl, newscaster/correspondent (CBS)
• 1941 - Vittoria Mezzogiorno, Italian actor (L'homme bless‚, Tre fratelli)
• 1943 - Anthony Hicks, rock guitarist (Hollies)
• 1943 - Steven Bochco, prod (Hill St Blues, LA Law, St Elsewhere, NYPD Blue)
• 1943 - Tony Hicks, rocker (Hollies-The Air That I Breathe)
• 1944 - John Abercrombie, rocker
• 1946 - Adriaan van Dis, Dutch TV host/writer (Promised Country)
• 1946 - Benny Andersson, Stockholm Sweden, singer (ABBA-Money! Money! Money!)
• 1946 - Fred Borgman, Dutch 2nd chamber member (CDA)
• 1947 - Ben Cross, England, actor (Chariots of Fire, Far Pavillions)
• 1947 - Vincent Matthews, US, 400m dash (Olympic-gold-1972)
• 1949 - Billy Gibbons, Houston TX, jazz guitarist (Moving Sidewalks, ZZ Top)
• 1950 - Caroline Munro, Windsor, actress (Golden Voyage of Sinbad) [or 1/16]
• 1950 - Ieremia Tabai, pres of Kiribati (Gilbert Islands) (1979-91)
• 1952 - Elayne Boosler, comedienne (Night Court)
• 1952 - Joel Garner, cricketer (two-metre West Indian pace bowler 1977-87)
• 1953 - Filip Bolluyt, Dutch actor (Daybreak)
• 1953 - Joel Garner, Barbados, bowler
• 1954 - Joslyn Y Hoyte-Smith, Barbados, 4X400m hurdler (Olympic-bronze-1980)
• 1955 - Carol M Browner, US Administrator (EPA)
• 1955 - Graeme Stevenson, cricketer (England medium pacer 1980-81)
• 1958 - Bart Oates, NFL center (NY Giants, SF 49ers)
• 1959 - Alison La Placa, NJ, actress (Duet, Catherine-John Larroquette Show)
• 1959 - Steven Irvine, rock drummer (Lloyd Cole & The Commotions)
• 1961 - Kelly Tough, Vancouver BC, playmate (Oct, 1981)
• 1962 - Jon Tenney, actor (Brooklyn South)
• 1962 - Maruschka Detmers, Schoonebeek Holland, actress (Devil in the Flesh)
• 1962 - Melanie Smith, Scranton Pa, actress (Emily-As the World Turns)
• 1962 - William "The Refrigerator" Perry, NFL defensive back (Chicago Bears)
• 1963 - Benjamin Bratt, Calif, actor (Det Reynaldo Curtis-Law & Order)
• 1963 - Brian Clark, Brandon Man, Canadian Tour golfer (1994 Morden Pro-Am)
• 1963 - Cathy Johnston-Forbes, High Point NC, LPGA golfer (1990 du Maurier)
• 1963 - Silvio Diliberto, WLAF kicker (Amsterdam Admirals)
• 1964 - Billy Ripken, Havre de Grace MD, 2nd baseman (Bal Orioles, Tx Rangers)
• 1964 - Evelyn Conley, SF Calif, WPVA volleyballer (US Open-7th-1989)
• 1964 - Gail Harris, Dewsbury England, actress (Virtual Desire)
• 1964 - Heike Drechsler, Gera German DR, sprinter (1988 world record)
• 1965 - Brent Franklin, Barrie Ont, Canadian Tour golfer (1992 Japan Open-2nd)
• 1965 - Chris Jones, Utica NY, outfielder (NY Mets)
• 1965 - Cynthia Lynne White, Okla City Okla, Miss Okla-America (1991-top 10)
• 1965 - Moe Elewonibi, NFL/CFL tackle (Phila Eagles, BC Lions)
• 1965 - Page Dunlap, Harrisonburg VA, LPGA golfer (1994 Atlanta Women's-8th)
• 1965 - Romallis Ellis, Wash DC, lightweight boxer (Olympic-bronze-1988)
• 1966 - Clifford Robinson, NBA center (Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers)
• 1967 - Donovan Bailey, Manchester Jamaica, Canada 100m runner (Oly-2 gold-96)
• 1968 - Darryll Lewis, NFL cornerback (Houston/Tennessee Oilers)
• 1968 - Paul Scherrer, actor (Children of Corn II, Free Spirit)
• 1968 - Wendy Doolan, Sydney Australia, LPGA golfer (1991 Brit Amat Champ-2nd)
• 1969 - Charles Mincy, NFL safety (Minn Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
• 1969 - Craig White, cricketer (England all-rounder 1994-95, AIS graduate)
• 1969 - Martin Ulrich, hockey defenseman (Team Austria 1998)
• 1971 - Catherine "Cathy" Symon, Wash DC, rower (Olympics-96)
• 1971 - Kristen Kane, Jacksonville Fl, diver (Olympics-96)
• 1971 - Michael S McCary, [Boss], Phila Pa, rapper (Boyz II Men)
• 1973 - Kristie Boogert, Rotterdam Neth, tennis star (1996 Paris)
• 1979 - Nicole Werra, Miss Wisconsin Teen USA (1996)

Famous deaths for this day ..

• 0714 - Pippin II, of H‚ristal, Duke/prince of France, dies
• 0875 - Ado of Vienne, French archbishop of Vienne, dies at about 75
• 0882 - John VIII, Italian Pope (872-82), dies
• 0999 - Adelheid the Saint, German empress of Otto I/saint, dies at about 68
• 1404 - Albrecht of Bavaria, duke of Bavaria, dies at about 74
• 1670 - Dorothy, 1st English marquis of Halifax, dies
• 1672 - John II Casimir Vasa, cardinal/king of Poland (1648-68), dies at 63
• 1673 - Juan de Padilla, composer, dies at 68
• 1719 - Adrian "Aart" van Wijck, Dutch theologist (anti-jansenism), dies at 78
• 1774 - Fran‡ois Quesnay, French personal physician of Louis XIV, dies at 80
• 1781 - Georg Simon Lohlein, composer, dies at 56
• 1783 - Johann Adolf Hasse, Dutch operatic composer (Sesostrate), dies at 84
• 1790 - Ludwig August Lebrun, composer, dies at 38
• 1816 - Vincenzo Galeotti, [Tomazelli], Ital dancer/choreographer, dies at 73
• 1821 - Claire E J, countess the R‚musat/Vergennes/author (Salon), dies at 41
• 1833 - Friedrich August Kanne, composer, dies at 55
• 1852 - Andries H Potgieter, South African/Transvaal explorer, dies at 59
• 1852 - Henri-Jean Rigel, composer, dies at 80
• 1858 - Richard Bright, British Dr (Bright's disease/nephritis), dies at 69
• 1859 - Wilhelm Grimm, writer, dies at 73
• 1861 - Karol Joseph Lipinski, composer, dies at 71
• 1870 - Stanislaw Duniecki, composer, dies at 31
• 1871 - Willibald Alexis, German writer (Schloss Avalon), dies at 73
• 1874 - Abraham Capadose, physician/missionary, dies at 79
• 1897 - Alphonse Daudet, writer, dies at 57
• 1897 - L-M Alphonse Daudet, Frans writer (Tartarin sur les Alpes), dies at 57
• 1914 - Ivan Zajc, composer, dies at 82
• 1916 - Grigori Rasputin, a powerful Russian monk, murdered
• 1920 - Ma, the Benovelent, Chinese muslim rebel (holy war), dies
• 1921 - Charles Camille Saint-Saens, French composer, dies at 86
• 1922 - Eli‰zer Ben-Jehuda, [Perelmann], Latvia/Palestinian writer, dies at 67
• 1922 - Gabriel Narutowicz, 1st pres of Poland (Dec 7-16, 1922), assassinated
• 1923 - Pongrac Kacsoh, composer, dies at 50
• 1927 - Hugh Archibald Clarke, composer, dies at 88
• 1931 - Gustave J Waffelaert, Flemish theologist/bishop of Bruges, dies at 82
• 1935 - Thelma Todd, actress (Horse Feathers, Bohemian Girl), dies of 30
• 1940 - M EugŠne F T Dubois, geologist/paleontologist (Wadjakmens), dies
• 1940 - William Wallace, composer, dies at 80
• 1944 - Glenn Miller, US jazz composer/orch leader (Danny boy), dies at 40
• 1945 - Fumimaro Konu, Japanese prince/PM (1937-39, 40-41), commits harakiri
• 1949 - Traitsjo Kostov, Bulgarian communist vice-premier, executed
• 1950 - Otto Vrieslander, composer, dies at 70
• 1960 - Anna Luther, silent screen actress (Sinners in Silk), dies at 63
• 1961 - Boris Semyonovich Shekhter, composer, dies at 61
• 1961 - Cato Engelen-Sewing, Dutch soprano singer/primadonna, dies at 93
• 1965 - William Somerset Maugham, English author (Razor's Edge), dies at 91
• 1973 - Syd Barnes, cricketer (13 Tests for Australia 1938-48), dies
• 1974 - Kostas Varnalis, writer, dies
• 1976 - George, a goose that lived to 49 years 8 months, dies
• 1978 - Blanche Calloway, US singer/dancer/radio hostess, dies at 76
• 1980 - Harland "Colonel" Sanders, founder Kentucky Fried Chicken, dies at 90
• 1982 - Anthony C B Chapman, England, formula 1 racer, dies at 54
• 1983 - Kusan Sunim, found Milae Sa temple/Bulsung Sa Zen in Korea, dies at 74
• 1985 - Dick Pollard, cricketer (England fast-medium bowler 1946-48), dies
• 1985 - Merv Waite, cricketer (2 Tests for Aust 1938, 1 wkt avg 190), dies
• 1985 - Paul Castellano, Organized-crime chief, shot dead at a NYC restaurant
• 1987 - Albert P Morano, (Rep-R-Conn, 1951-59), dies at 79
• 1988 - H "Stork" Hendry, cricketer (11 Tests for Australia 1921-29), dies
• 1989 - Aileen Pringle, actress (Age of Consent, Convicted, Night Parade), dies
• 1989 - Lee Van Cleef, US actor (Good, Bad & Ugly), dies at 64
• 1989 - Silvana Mangano, Italian actress (Death in Venice), dies at 59
• 1991 - Fred D Scott, actor (2 Gun Troubador), dies
• 1992 - Anton [Tom] Koolhaas, Dutch writer (Snow White), dies at 80
• 1992 - Rinus Terlouw, Dutch soccer player/trainer (Sparta), dies
• 1993 - Bentri Seddik, Algerian court judge, murdered at 46
• 1993 - Kakuei Tanaka, premier of Japan (1972-74), dies at 75
• 1993 - Moses Gunn, actor (Roots), dies of asthma at 64
• 1993 - Ratu Penaia Ganilau, president of Fiji (1987-93), dies at 75
• 1993 - Richard AFM Auwerda, Dutch journalist/writer (Volkskrant), dies at 68
• 1994 - Mary Durack, poet, dies at 81
• 1994 - Samuel Lipman, music critic, dies at 60
• 1995 - Nina Verchinina, dancer choreographer/teacher, dies at 85
• 1996 - Jean-Pierre Levy, resistance leader, dies at 85
• 1996 - Joe Coral, bookmaker, dies at 92
• 1996 - Quentin Bell, artist author/teacher, dies at 86
• 1997 - Nicolette Larson, singer (Lotta Love), dies from brain seizure at 45
• 1997 - Richard Warwick, actor (Johnny Dangerously, Sebastine, If), dies at 52